Human rotavirus G9P[6] strain and use as a vaccine

ABSTRACT

Attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, pharmaceutical compositions are disclosed that include an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus, or a component thereof. These compositions can be used to induce an immune response, such as a protective immune response, to a rotavirus. The compositions can be used as vaccines, such as for children (infants), for example in a prime boost strategy.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/717,946, filed Dec. 17, 2019, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/765,716, filed Apr. 3, 2018, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,970, which is a § 371 U.S. national stage of International Application No. PCT/US2016/054211, filed Sep. 28, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/237,452, filed Oct. 5, 2015. The prior applications are all incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This relates to the field of virology, specifically to methods for inducing an immune response to a rotaviral infection using an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus.

BACKGROUND

Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea in children; nearly every child in the world has been infected with a rotavirus by the age of five. The virus is believed to be highly contagious by the fecal-oral route, and affects no particular socioeconomic or geographic group disproportionately. While the majority of children survive infection, a large number of children become severely ill, and the number of deaths associated with the virus is considerable. In addition to its impact on human health, rotavirus also infects animals, and is a pathogen of livestock.

Rotavirus A accounts for more than 90% of rotavirus gastroenteritis in humans Rotavirus A is an icosahedral virus in the family Reoviridae with a distinct hub-and-spoke morphology. Rotavirus particles contain three protein layers surrounding the viral genome which consists of 11 segments of double-stranded RNA, each segment encoding a protein. There are six viral proteins (VPs) that form the virus particle, called VP1-VP7, and six nonstructural proteins (NSPs), called NSP1-NSP6. Rotaviruses are classified by group, subgroup and serotype according to properties characteristic of the viral capsid proteins.

A number of the structural proteins are particularly important in eliciting an immune response in a host since these proteins are present on the outermost surface of the viral particles. It is believed that VP7 and VP4 play an important role in the host immune response. Variants of VP7 and VP4 structural proteins characterize distinct rotavirus A serotypes. In particular, variants of human VP7 are identified as “G” serotypes including at least serotypes G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G8, G9, G10, G11, G12, G13 and G14. Variants of the VP4 structural protein are identified as “P” serotypes including P1A, P1B, P2A, P3, P4, P5, P6 and P8. Because intact rotaviruses are characterized by both a VP7 protein and a VP4 protein, individual virus serotypes are named according to the identity of the variant of these two proteins contained in the particular virus. The G1 serotype of rotavirus A is the most common serotype associated with human disease worldwide. A common rotavirus A contains both G1 and P[8] variants of VP7 and VP4, and is called G1P[8]. A number of vaccines have been developed which use rotavirus A G1 strains with the goal of developing immunity in a host against rotavirus A G1 strains as well as rotavirus A strains having other serotypes.

A diversity of human rotavirus types is increasingly recognized as contributing to acute severe diarrhea disease worldwide. This diversity underscores the need for robust vaccines capable of generating immunity against several strains. ROTARIX® is a vaccine that has broad cross-reactive immunity and cross protection against homotypic Wa-like and heterotypic DS-1 like strains among children worldwide. However, this vaccine confers lower efficacy against DS-1 like strains in some regions. Thus, there is a continuing need for vaccines against human rotavirus A of both common and less common types.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, pharmaceutical compositions are disclosed that include an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus. Optionally, the pharmaceutical compositions can include an adjuvant and/or an inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus.

In additional embodiments, methods are also disclosed for inducing an immune response in a subject, by administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition including an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus. In some non-limiting examples, the pharmaceutical composition is administered orally and does not include an adjuvant. In other non-limiting examples, the composition is administered parentally, and includes an adjuvant. Optionally, the G9P[6] rotavirus is inactivated.

Optionally, the pharmaceutical compositions can include an inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus. In a specific non-limiting example, the G1P[8] rotavirus is CDC-9. The G1P[8] rotavirus can be attenuated and/or inactivated.

The inactivated attenuated rotavirus can also be included in pharmaceutical compositions to induce a response to other pathogens, such as, but not limited to, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B (HBV), polio and/or pneumococcal disease.

The immune response can be a protective immune response. The subject can be a child, such as a human child of less than 5 years of age or 1 year of age. The method can include at least one prime and boost.

In further embodiments, isolated nucleic acid molecules from the G9P[6] and isolated polypeptides from the G9P[6] rotavirus are disclosed. These molecules can be included in pharmaceutical compositions and can be used to induce an immune response.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of several embodiments which proceeds with reference to the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows the relationship of the VP4 and VP7 sequences to other rotaviruses.

FIG. 2 are digital images showing the purification of TLPs and the RNA eleptropherotype.

FIG. 3 is a table showing the nucleotide and amino acid sequence changes that occurred in the attenuated form of the virus.

FIG. 4 is a table showing the sequence identity between CDC-6 and GR10924, a virulent G9P[6] rotavirus, for each nucleotide and protein sequence.

SEQUENCE LISTING

The nucleic and amino acid sequences listed are shown using standard letter abbreviations for nucleotide bases, and three letter code for amino acids, as defined in 37 C.F.R. 1.822. Only one strand of each nucleic acid sequence is shown, but the complementary strand is understood as included by any reference to the displayed strand. The Sequence Listing is submitted as an ASCII text file [Sequence_Listing, Oct. 29, 2021, 74.2 KB], which is incorporated by reference herein. In the accompanying sequence listing:

SEQ ID NO: 1 is an amino acid sequence of a VP1 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MGKYNLILSEYLSFIYNSQSAVQIPIYYSSNSELESRCIEFHSKCLENSKNGLSLKKLFNEYSDVIENATLLSILSY SYDKYNAVERKLVKYAKGKPLEADLTVNELDYENNKITSELFPTAEEYTDSLMDPAILTSLSSNLNAVMFWL EKHENDTAEKFKIYKRRLDLFTIVASTVNKYGVPRHNAKYRYEYDVMKDKPYYLVTWANSSIEMLMSVFSH EDYLIARELIVLSYSNRSTLAKLVSSPMSILVALVDINGTFITNEELELEFSNKYVRAIVPDQTFDELKQMLNSM RKAGLVDIPKMIQDWLVDCSIEKFPLMAKIYSWSFHVGFRKQKMLDAALDQLKTEYTEDVDDEMYREYTML IRDEVVKMLEESVKHDDHLLQDSELAGLLSMSSASNGESRQLKFGRKTVFSTKKNMHVMDDMANGRYTPGII PPVNADKPIPLGRRDVPGRRTRIIFILPYEYFIAQHAVVEKMLIYAKHTREYAEFYSQSNQLLSYGDVTRFLSNN AMVLYTDVSQWDSSQHNTQPFRKGIIMGLDILANMTNDAKVIQTLNLYKQTQINLMDSYVQIPDGNVIKKIQ YGAVASGEKQTKAANSIANLALIKTVLSRISNKYSFATKIIRVDGDDNYAVLQFNTEVTKQMVQDVSNDVRET YARMNAKVKALVSTVGIEIAKRYIAGGKIFFRAGINLLNNEKRGQSTQWDQAAVLYSNYIVNRLRGFETDREF ILTKIMQMTSVAITGSLRLFPSERVLTTNSTFKVFDSEDFIIEYGTTDDEVYIQRAFMSLSSQRSGIADEIAASPTF KNYVSRLSEQLLFSKNNIVSRGIALTEKAKLNSYAPISLEKRRAQISALLTMLQKPVTFKSNKITINDILKDIKPF FTVSEAHLPIQYQKFMPTVPENVQYIIQCIGSRTYQIEDDGSKSAISRLISKYSVYKPSIEELYKVISLHENEIQLY LISLGIPKIDADTYVGSKIYSQDKYRILESYVYNLLSINYGCYQLFDFNSPDLEKLIRIPFKGKIPAVTFILHLYAK LEVINHAIKNGSWISLFCNYPKSEMIKLWKKMWNITSLRSPYTNANFFQD SEQ ID NO: 2 is an amino acid sequence of a VP2 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MAYRKRGARREANLNNNDRMQEKIDEKQDSNKIQLSDKVLSKKEEIVTDSHEEVKVTDELKKSTKEESKQLL EVLKTKEEHQKEIQYEILQKTIPTFEPKETILRKLEDIKPELAKKQTKLFRIFEPKQLPIYRANGERELRNRWYW KLKKDTLPDGDYDVREYFLNLYDQVLTEMPDYLLLKDMAVENKNSRDAGKVVDSETASICDAIFQDEETEG AVRRFIAEMRQRVQADRNVVNYPSILHPIDYAFNEYFLQHQLVEPLNNDIIFNYIPERIRNDVNYILNMDRNLPS TARYIRPNLLQDRLNLHDNFESLWDTITTSNYILARSVVPDLKELVSTEAQIQKMSQDLQLEALTIQSETQFLTG INSQAANDCFKTLIAAMLSQRTMSLDFVTTNYMSLISGMWLLTVVPNDMFIRESLVACQLAIVNTIIYPAFGM QRMHYRNGDPQTPFQIAEQQIQNFQVANWLHFVNNNQFRQAVIDGVLNQVLNDNIRNGHVINQLMEALMQL SRQQFPTMPIDYKRSIQRGILLLSNRLGQLVDLTRLLAYNYETLMACITMNMQHVQTLTTEKLQLTSVTSLCM LIGNATVIPSPQTLFHYYNVNVNFHSNYNERINDAVAIITAANRLNLYQKKMKAIVEDFLKRLYIFDVSRVPDD QMYRLRDRLRLLPVEIRRLDIFNLILMNMDQIERASDKIAQGVIIAYRDMHLERDEMYGYVNIARNLEGFQQIN LEELMRSGDYAQITNMLLNNQPVALVGALPFITDSSVISLIAKLDATVFAQIVKLRKVDTLKPILYKINSDSNDF YLVANYDWVPTSTTKVYKQVPQQFDFRNSMHMLTSNLTFTVYSDLLAFVSADTVEPINAVAFDNMRIMNEL SEQ ID NO: 3 is an amino acid sequence of a VP3 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MKVLALRHSVAQVYADTQVYTHDDSKDEYENAFLISNLTTHNILYLNYNVKTLQILNKSGIAAVEIQKIDELF TLIRCNFTYDYIDDVVYLHDYSYYTNNEIRTDQHWITKTNIEDYLLPGWKLTYVGYNGSDTRGHYNFSFRCQ NAATDDDAIIEYIYSDELDFQSFILKKIKERMTTSLPIARLSNRVFRDKLFKTLSVNHDKVVNIGPRNESMFTFL DYPSIKQFSNGPYLVKDTIKLKQERWLGKRLSQFDIGQYKNMLNVLTTLYQYYDIYHEKPIVYMIGSAPSYWI YDVKQYSNLKFETWDPLDTPYSNLHHKELFYMNDVQKLKDNSILYIDIRTDRGTVDWKEWRKIVERQTIDNL HIAYKYLSTGKAKVCCVKMTAMDLELPISAKLLHHPTTEIRSEFYLVMDIWDSKNIKRFIPKGVLYSYINNTITE NVFIQQPFKLKTLKNEYIIALYALSNDFNNREDVVKLINNQKKALMTVRINNTFKDEPKVGFKNIYDWTFLPT DFETNGSIITSYDGCLGIFGLSISLASKPTGNNHLFILSGTDKYFKLDQFANHMSISRRSHQIRFSESATSYSGYIF RDLSNNNFNLIGTNIENSVSGHVYNALIYYRYNYSFDLKRWIYLHSTGKASIEGGKYYEHAPIELIYACRSARE FAKLQDDLTVLRYSNEIENYINKVYSITYADDPNYFIGVKFKNIPYKYNVKVPHLTFGVLNISEQMLPDVITILK RFKNELFGMEVTTSYTYMLSDEVYVANISGVLSTYFKIYNEFYKEQITFGQSRMFIPHVTLSFSNEKTVRIDTTK LYIDSIYLRKIKGDTVFDMTG SEQ ID NO: 4 is an amino acid sequence of a VP4 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MASLIYRQLLTNSYTVELSDEINTIGSEKSQNVTINPGPFAQTNYAPVTWSHGEVNDSTTIEPVLDGPYQPTNFK PPNDYWILLNPTNQQVVLEGTNKIDIWVALLLVEPNVTNQSRQYTLFGETKQITVENNTNKWKFFEMFRSNVS AEFQHKRTLTSDTKLAGFMKFYNSVWTFRGETPHATTDYSSTSNLSEVETVIHVEFYIIPRSQESKCSEYINTGL PPMQNTRNIVPVALSSRSVTYQRAQVNEDIIISKTSLWKEMQCNRDIIIRFKFNNSIVKLGGLGYKWSEISFKAA NYQYSYLRDGEQVTAHTTCSVNGVNNFSYNGGSLPTDFSVSRYEVIKENSYVYVDYWDDSQAFRNMVYVRS LAANLNSVKCSGGTYNFQLPVGAWPVMSGGAVSLHFAGVTLSTQFTDFVSLNSLRFRFSLTVEEPPFSILRTRV SGLYGLPAFNPNDGHEYYEIAGRFSLISLVPSNDDYQTPIMNSVTVRQDLERQLGDLREEFNSLSQEIAMTQLID LALLPLDMFSMFSGIKSTIDVAKSMVTKVMKKFKKSGLATSISELTGSLSNAASSVSRSSSIRSNISSISVWTDVS EQIAGSSDSVRNISTQTSAISKRLRLREITTQTEGMNFDDISAAVLKTKIDRSTHISPNTLPDIITESSEKFIPKRAY RVLKDDEVMEADVDGKFFAYKVGTFEEVPFDVDKFVDLVTDSPVISAIIDFKTLKNLNDNYGITRSQALDLIRS DPRVLRDFINQNNPIIKNRIEQLILQCRL SEQ ID NO: 5 is an amino acid sequence of a VP6 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MDVLYSLSKTLKDARDKIVEGTLYSNVSDLIQQFNQMIITMNGNEFQTGGIGNLPIRNWNFDFGLLGTTLLNL DANYVETARNTIDYFVDFVDNVCMDEMVRESQRNGIAPQSDSLRKLSGIKFKRINFDNSSEYIENWNLQNRRQ RTGFTFHKPNIFPYSASFTLNRSQPAHDNLMGTMWLNAGSEIQVAGFDYSCAINAPANTQQFEHIVQLRRVLT TATITLLPDAERFSFPRVINSADGATTWYFNPVILRPNNVEVEFLLNGQIINTYQARFGTIVARNFDTIRLSFQLM RPPNMTPSVAALFPNAQPFEHHATVGLTLKIESAVCESVLADASETMLANVTSVRQEYAIPVGPVFPPGMNWT DLITNYSPSREDNLQRVFTVASIRSMLVK SEQ ID NO: 6 is an amino acid sequence of a VP7 polypeptide from anattenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MYGIEYTTILTFLISIVLLNYILKSLTSAMDFIIYRFLLLIVIASPFVKTQNYGINLPITGSMDTAYANSSQQETFLT STLCLYYPTEASTQIGDTEWKDTLSQLFLTKGWPTGSVYFKEYTDIASFSIDPQLYCDYNVVLMKYDSTLKLD MSELADLILNEWLCNPMDITLYYYQQTDEANKWISMGQSCTIKVCPLNTQTLGIGCITTNTATFEEVATNEKL VITDVVDGVNHKLDVTTNTCTIRNCKKLGPRENVAIIQVGGSDVLDITADPTTAPQTERMMRVNWKKWWQV FYTVVDYINQIVQVMSKRSRLLNSAAFYYRV SEQ ID NO: 7 is an amino acid sequence of a NSP1 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MATFKDACYQYKKLNKLNNAVLKLGANDVWRPSTLTKRKGWCLDCCQHTDLTYCQGCLIYHVCEWCSQY SRCFLDNDPHLLRMRTFRNEITKSDLENLINMYDTSFPINQKIVNKFANAIKQHKCRNEYLIQWYNHFLMPITL QSLSIELDGDIYYIFGYYDDMHKINQTPFSFTNLISKYDVLLLDSINFDRMAFLPLTLQQEYALRYFSKSRFITER RKCIEISHFSDNILNDLHNPNFTLQVIRNCSNMSVEWNKACNLIRNISNYFDIFKSSHTESYNISPRCRVFTQYKL KIASKLIKPNYVASNHNSLATEVHNCKWCSINNNSIVWTDFRIKNVYNDIFNFIRALVKSNLYVGHCSSEEKIY ESIKDILNVCKENEWNMLVTEIFNQLDPIKLNEDSYVLLNYEINWNVMNVLINSIGKVPKILTLSDVISILRIIIYD WFDIRFMRNTPMTTFTVNKLKQLYEKDRTAEYDSGVSDVE SEQ ID NO: 8 is an amino acid sequence of a NSP2 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MAELACFCYPHLENDSYKFIPFNNLAIKCMLTAKVEKKDQDKFYNSIIYGIAPPPQFKKRYNTNDNSRGMNYE TAMFNKVAVLICEALNSIKVTQSDVASVLSRVVSVRHLENLVLRRENHQDVLFHSKELLLKSVLIAIGHSKEIE TTATAEGGEIVFQNAAFTMWKLTYLEHKLMPILDQNFIEYKITLNEDKPISESHVKELIAELRWQYNKFAVITH GKGHYRVVKYSSVANHADRVYATFKSNNKNGGPLEFNLLDQRIIWQNWYAFTSSMKQGNALDVCKKLLFQ KMKRESNPFKGLSTDRKMDEVSQVGI SEQ ID NO: 9 is an amino acid sequence of a NSP3 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MLKMESTQQMASSIINSSFEAAVVAATSTLELMGIQYDYNEVYTRVKSKFDFVMDDSGVKNNLIGKAATIDQ ALNGKFSSSIRNRNWMTDSKTVARLDEDVNKLRLLLSSKGIDQKMRVLNACFSVKRVPEKSSSIIKCTRLMKE KIERGEVEVDDTFIEEKMEIDTIDWKSRYDQLERRFESLKQRVNEKYNNWVIKARKINENMNSLQNVISQQQA HINELQIYNDKLERDLQSKIGSVISSIEWYLRSMELSDDIKSDIEQQLNSIDHINPVNAFDDFESILRNLISDYDRIF IMFKGLLQQSNYTYTYE SEQ ID NO: 10 is an amino acid sequence of a NSP4 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MEKFTDLNYTLSVITLMNSTLHTILEDPGMAYFPYIASVLTVLFTLHKASIPTMKIALKTSKCSYKVVKYCIVTI LNTLLKLAGYKEQITTKDEIEKQMDRVVKEMRRQLEMIDKLTTREIEQVELLKRIYDKLIVRSTDEIDMTKEIN QKNVRTLEEWESGKNPYEPKEVTAAM SEQ ID NO: 11 is an amino acid sequence of a NSP5 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: MSLSIDVNSLPSISSSVYKNESFSTTSTISGKSIGRSEQYISPDAEAFNKYMLSKSPEDIGPSDSASNDPLTSFSIRS NAVKTNADAGVSMDSSAQSRPSSDIGYDQMDFSLNKGIKIDATMDSSISISTTSKKEKSKQENKNKYKKCYPK IEAESDSDEYVLDDSDSDDGKCKNCKYKKKYFALRLRMKQVAMQLIKDL SEQ ID NO: 12 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP1 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTATTAAAGCTATACAATGGGGAAGTATAATCTAATCTTGTCAGAATACTTATCATTT ATATATAATTCACAATCTGCAGTTCAAATTCCAATTTATTACTCTTCCAATAGTGAGTTG GAAAGTAGATGTATAGAATTTCATTCCAAATGTTTAGAAAATTCAAAAAATGGTCTATCA CTGAAAAAACTATTTAATGAATATAGTGATGTCATTGAGAATGCTACGTTATTATCAATA TTATCATACTCCTACGACAAATATAACGCCGTTGAACGGAAATTAGTCAAATATGCGAAA GGTAAACCGCTTGAGGCAGACCTAACGGTGAACGAATTGGATTATGAAAATAATAAAATA ACGTCTGAGCTGTTTCCAACAGCGGAAGAATACACCGACTCATTGATGGATCCAGCAATT CTAACTTCCTTGTCATCAAATTTAAACGCAGTCATGTTTTGGTTGGAAAAACACGAAAAT GATACTGCTGAAAAATTTAAAATTTATAAAAGAAGATTAGACTTATTCACTATAGTAGCT TCAACCGTAAACAAATATGGTGTACCAAGGCACAATGCAAAATATAGATACGAATATGAT GTGATGAAAGATAAACCATATTACTTAGTGACATGGGCAAATTCTTCAATTGAAATGCTA ATGTCAGTCTTTTCTCATGAAGATTATTTAATTGCAAGAGAATTGATAGTGTTGTCATAT TCTAATAGATCAACTTTGGCAAAACTAGTATCATCTCCAATGTCAATTTTAGTTGCTTTA GTGGATATTAATGGAACGTTTATTACGAATGAAGAGTTAGAATTAGAGTTTTCAAATAAG TACGTGCGGGCCATAGTACCAGATCAAACATTTGATGAATTAAAACAGATGCTTAACAGT ATGAGAAAAGCTGGATTGGTTGATATACCTAAGATGATACAAGACTGGTTAGTTGATTGT TCCATCGAAAAATTTCCACTAATGGCTAAAATATACTCATGGTCGTTTCATGTTGGATTC AGAAAGCAAAAAATGTTAGATGCTGCCTTAGACCAATTGAAAACTGAGTATACAGAAGAT GTAGATGACGAAATGTATCGTGAATACACAATGCTAATAAGAGATGAAGTTGTTAAAATG CTTGAAGAATCAGTAAAACATGATGACCACCTATTACAAGATTCTGAATTAGCTGGTTTG TTGTCAATGTCTTCAGCATCGAATGGAGAATCCAGACAGCTTAAATTTGGTAGAAAAACA GTTTTTTCAACTAAAAAGAACATGCATGTTATGGATGATATGGCTAATGGAAGATATACA CCAGGCATAATTCCACCTGTAAATGCTGATAAACCAATACCGTTAGGAAGAAGAGACGTA CCAGGAAGAAGAACTAGAATAATATTCATATTACCGTATGAATATTTTATAGCACAGCAT GCTGTGGTTGAGAAAATGTTGATCTATGCAAAGCATACTAGAGAATATGCTGAATTCTAT TCGCAATCAAATCAACTCTTATCATACGGTGATGTTACACGTTTCCTTTCTAATAATGCT ATGGTGTTATATACAGACGTGTCTCAATGGGATTCATCTCAACATAATACGCAACCGTTT AGGAAAGGAATAATAATGGGATTGGATATACTAGCTAACATGACTAATGATGCTAAAGTT ATTCAGACATTAAATTTATATAAACAAACGCAAATTAACTTGATGGACTCATACGTTCAA ATACCAGATGGTAATGTTATTAAGAAAATACAGTATGGAGCTGTAGCATCAGGGGAAAAA CAAACGAAGGCAGCTAACTCTATAGCGAATCTGGCACTAATTAAAACGGTTTTATCACGT ATTTCTAATAAATATTCATTTGCCACAAAAATAATAAGAGTTGACGGTGATGATAACTAT GCTGTGCTACAATTTAATACAGAAGTAACTAAACAAATGGTTCAGGATGTTTCGAACGAT GTAAGAGAAACTTATGCACGAATGAATGCTAAAGTTAAAGCTCTAGTATCCACAGTAGGA ATAGAAATAGCTAAAAGATATATTGCAGGAGGAAAAATATTCTTTAGAGCAGGAATAAAT TTGCTTAATAATGAAAAAAGAGGACAAAGTACACAATGGGATCAGGCAGCAGTTTTATAC TCTAATTATATCGTAAACAGACTTAGAGGGTTTGAGACTGATAGAGAATTTATTTTAACT AAAATAATGCAAATGACGTCTGTTGCTATTACTGGATCGCTAAGACTTTTTCCTTCTGAA CGTGTATTGACTACGAACTCTACATTTAAGGTGTTTGATTCAGAGGATTTTATTATAGAG TATGGAACAACTGATGATGAAGTATATATACAGAGAGCATTCATGTCTTTGTCAAGTCAG AGATCAGGAATAGCTGATGAAATAGCCGCATCACCAACATTTAAAAATTATGTGTCTAGA TTATCAGAACAGCTACTTTTTTCAAAGAATAATATAGTATCTAGAGGAATAGCTTTGACT GAAAAAGCAAAGTTGAATTCATATGCACCAATATCACTTGAAAAAAGACGTGCGCAGATA TCAGCTTTGTTAACAATGTTGCAGAAACCAGTTACCTTCAAATCAAACAAAATAACTATA AACGACATACTTAAAGACATAAAACCATTTTTTACAGTAAGCGAAGCACATTTGCCAATA CAGTATCAAAAGTTTATGCCGACCGTACCAGAAAATGTACAATATATAATTCAGTGTATA GGGTCAAGAACTTACCAGATTGAAGATGATGGCTCAAAATCAGCAATATCCCGGCTTATA TCAAAGTACTCAGTTTATAAACCGTCGATCGAGGAACTATATAAAGTAATTTCATTACAT GAGAATGAAATACAACTATATTTAATTTCATTAGGCATACCAAAAATAGATGCTGATACA TATGTTGGTTCAAAAATTTACTCTCAAGATAAATACAGGATATTGGAATCATATGTATAT AACCTGTTATCCATCAATTACGGATGCTATCAATTATTTGACTTTAATTCACCGGACTTG GAAAAATTAATTAGAATACCATTCAAAGGGAAGATACCAGCTGTCACATTTATATTACAT TTATATGCTAAATTAGAAGTTATAAACCATGCTATTAAGAATGGTTCATGGATAAGTCTA TTCTGTAACTATCCAAAATCAGAAATGATAAAGTTATGGAAGAAAATGTGGAACATTACG TCGTTACGTTCGCCATATACCAATGCAAATTTCTTTCAAGATTAGAGCGCTTAGATGTGA CC SEQ ID NO: 13 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP2 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTATTAAAGGCTCAATGGCGTACAGGAAACGTGGAGCGCGCCGTGAGGCGAACTTAAA TAATAATGATCGAATGCAGGAGAAAATTGATGAAAAACAAGATTCAAATAAAATACAATT ATCTGATAAGGTACTTTCGAAGAAAGAAGAAATTGTAACGGATAGTCATGAGGAAGTTAA AGTTACTGATGAGTTAAAAAAATCAACGAAAGAAGAATCAAAACAATTGCTTGAAGTGTT GAAAACAAAGGAAGAACATCAGAAAGAAATACAATATGAAATATTACAGAAAACTATACC AACATTCGAACCTAAAGAGACGATATTGAGAAAATTAGAGGATATTAAACCAGAACTAGC GAAAAAACAGACTAAGCTATTTAGAATATTTGAACCGAAACAATTACCGATTTATAGAGC AAATGGAGAGAGAGAATTGCGTAATAGATGGTATTGGAAATTAAAAAAAGATACACTACC AGACGGAGACTATGATGTGAGAGAGTATTTTCTGAATTTGTATGATCAAGTGCTTACTGA AATGCCAGACTACTTATTATTGAAAGATATGGCAGTAGAAAATAAGAATTCTAGGGATGC AGGTAAAGTCGTTGACTCAGAAACGGCTAGTATATGCGATGCCATATTTCAAGATGAAGA AACGGAAGGTGCCGTTAGAAGATTCATTGCAGAAATGAGACAACGTGTGCAAGCTGATAG AAATGTTGTCAATTATCCATCAATATTACATCCAATAGATTATGCATTTAATGAATACTT TTTACAACATCAATTGGTTGAACCATTGAATAATGATATAATATTTAATTATATACCAGA AAGGATAAGAAATGATGTTAATTATATTCTCAATATGGACAGAAATTTACCATCAACTGC CAGATATATAAGACCTAATTTACTGCAAGATAGATTAAATTTGCACGATAATTTTGAATC ACTATGGGATACAATAACTACATCAAATTATATTTTGGCGAGATCGGTAGTACCAGATTT AAAGGAATTAGTGTCAACGGAAGCACAAATTCAGAAAATGTCACAAGATTTGCAATTAGA AGCATTAACAATTCAGTCAGAAACACAATTTCTAACAGGTATAAATTCACAAGCAGCTAA CGATTGTTTTAAAACCTTAATTGCAGCAATGTTAAGTCAACGTACTATGTCATTAGATTT TGTGACTACTAATTATATGTCATTGATTTCAGGTATGTGGCTATTGACTGTCGTGCCAAA TGATATGTTTATAAGGGAATCGTTAGTCGCGTGTCAACTAGCTATAGTAAATACAATAAT CTATCCAGCATTTGGAATGCAACGAATGCATTATAGAAACGGGGATCCACAAACACCGTT TCAGATAGCAGAACAGCAAATTCAAAATTTCCAAGTCGCAAATTGGTTACATTTTGTTAA TAATAATCAATTTAGACAGGCAGTTATTGATGGTGTATTGAATCAGGTACTGAATGACAA TATTAGAAATGGTCATGTTATTAACCAACTGATGGAAGCTCTAATGCAGCTGTCGCGACA ACAATTTCCAACCATGCCAATTGATTATAAGAGATCAATTCAACGTGGAATATTACTGTT ATCTAACAGACTTGGTCAGTTAGTTGATTTAACTAGATTATTAGCTTACAATTATGAGAC ATTAATGGCATGCATTACAATGAACATGCAACATGTTCAAACCTTAACAACAGAAAAATT ACAATTAACGTCAGTTACATCATTATGTATGCTTATTGGAAATGCGACTGTTATACCAAG TCCACAAACATTATTTCATTATTATAACGTTAACGTTAATTTTCATTCAAATTACAATGA GAGAATTAATGATGCAGTAGCTATAATAACTGCTGCTAACAGACTGAATCTATATCAGAA AAAAATGAAGGCTATTGTTGAGGATTTCTTAAAAAGATTATACATTTTTGATGTATCTAG AGTTCCGGACGACCAAATGTATAGATTAAGGGATAGATTACGCTTATTGCCAGTAGAAAT CAGAAGATTGGATATCTTCAATCTAATACTAATGAACATGGATCAAATTGAACGTGCCTC AGATAAAATTGCTCAAGGTGTAATCATTGCTTATCGTGACATGCATCTTGAAAGAGATGA GATGTACGGATATGTAAATATAGCTAGAAATTTAGAGGGATTTCAACAGATAAATTTAGA GGAGCTGATGAGATCAGGTGACTATGCGCAAATAACTAACATGCTTTTGAATAATCAACC AGTAGCATTGGTTGGAGCACTTCCATTTATTACTGATTCATCAGTTATATCGCTAATAGC AAAACTTGACGCTACAGTGTTCGCTCAAATAGTTAAATTACGAAAAGTTGATACTTTAAA ACCAATATTATACAAGATAAATTCAGACTCAAATGACTTTTATTTAGTAGCCAATTACGA TTGGGTGCCAACTTCGACTACAAAAGTATACAAACAGGTTCCGCAACAATTTGATTTTAG AAATTCAATGCATATGTTAACTTCGAATCTTACTTTTACGGTTTATTCAGATCTTCTCGC GTTCGTATCAGCTGACACAGTAGAACCTATAAATGCAGTTGCATTTGACAATATGCGCAT CATGAACGAATTGTAGACGCCAACCCCACTGTGGAGATATGACC SEQ ID NO: 14 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP3 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTTTTAAAGCAATATCAGTAGTGTGTTTTACCTCTGATGGTGTAAATATGAAAGTATT AGCTTTAAGACATAGTGTGGCTCAGGTGTATGCAGACACTCAGGTGTACACACATGATGA TTCTAAAGATGAGTATGAGAACGCATTCTTAATTTCTAATCTCACTACACATAATATATT ATATTTAAATTATAATGTAAAAACGCTACAAATATTGAATAAATCTGGTATAGCTGCAGT AGAGATACAGAAGATAGATGAATTATTCACGTTAATTAGATGTAACTTTACATATGATTA CATTGATGATGTTGTTTACTTACATGACTATTCATATTATACTAATAATGAAATACGGAC TGACCAACATTGGATAACCAAGACAAATATAGAAGATTATTTATTACCAGGATGGAAGCT GACATACGTTGGATACAATGGAAGTGATACGCGCGGACATTATAATTTTTCATTTAGATG TCAAAATGCAGCTACAGATGATGATGCAATAATAGAGTATATCTATTCAGATGAATTAGA CTTCCAGAGTTTTATACTCAAGAAGATTAAAGAAAGGATGACAACATCACTACCAATAGC AAGACTTTCAAATCGCGTATTTAGAGATAAGTTATTTAAAACGTTATCAGTAAATCATGA TAAAGTAGTTAATATTGGGCCCAGAAATGAATCTATGTTTACTTTTTTAGACTATCCATC AATAAAACAGTTTTCGAATGGACCGTATTTAGTTAAAGATACAATTAAACTCAAACAAGA GAGATGGCTTGGTAAAAGATTATCACAGTTTGATATTGGTCAATATAAGAATATGCTAAA TGTATTAACGACTTTGTATCAATATTACGATATATATCATGAAAAACCAATCGTATACAT GATAGGATCAGCGCCCTCATATTGGATATATGACGTCAAACAGTATTCTAACTTGAAATT TGAAACGTGGGATCCACTAGATACACCATACTCTAATTTACATCATAAGGAATTATTTTA CATGAATGACGTGCAAAAACTTAAAGATAATTCAATACTATATATAGATATAAGAACAGA TAGAGGAACTGTAGACTGGAAGGAATGGCGAAAAATAGTGGAAAGGCAAACTATTGACAA TTTGCATATTGCATACAAATATCTATCTACAGGGAAAGCTAAGGTATGTTGCGTTAAAAT GACCGCCATGGATTTAGAATTACCGATATCTGCAAAATTGCTTCACCATCCAACTACAGA GATTAGATCAGAATTTTATCTAGTGATGGATATATGGGACTCTAAAAATATTAAAAGATT CATACCAAAAGGTGTATTATACTCATATATAAACAATACAATTACTGAAAACGTATTCAT ACAACAACCTTTTAAGTTGAAAACATTGAAAAACGAATATATAATAGCACTTTATGCTTT ATCAAATGATTTTAACAACAGAGAAGATGTGGTGAAACTAATTAATAATCAGAAAAAAGC GTTAATGACAGTGAGAATTAATAATACGTTTAAAGATGAACCAAAAGTCGGATTTAAAAA CATTTACGATTGGACATTTCTACCAACGGATTTTGAAACTAATGGATCAATAATTACTTC ATATGATGGGTGTCTAGGTATCTTTGGTTTATCAATATCGCTAGCTTCAAAACCAACTGG TAATAATCATTTGTTCATTTTAAGTGGAACAGACAAGTATTTTAAACTGGATCAATTTGC AAATCATATGAGCATATCACGACGATCACATCAGATACGATTTTCGGAGTCAGCCACTTC ATATTCGGGATATATTTTTAGGGATTTGTCTAATAATAATTTCAATTTAATAGGTACGAA TATAGAGAATTCAGTATCCGGACACGTATATAATGCATTGATTTATTATAGATATAATTA TTCATTTGACCTTAAACGATGGATATACTTACATTCAACAGGTAAAGCTAGTATTGAAGG TGGTAAGTATTATGAACATGCTCCAATTGAATTGATTTATGCATGCAGATCAGCAAGAGA ATTTGCGAAACTGCAAGATGATTTAACGGTATTAAGATATTCAAATGAGATAGAAAACTA TATCAATAAAGTTTATAGCATAACATACGCCGACGATCCTAATTACTTTATTGGAGTTAA GTTTAAAAATATTCCTTATAAGTATAACGTTAAAGTACCACATCTCACATTTGGCGTGTT AAATATTTCTGAACAAATGCTACCAGATGTAATAACGATTTTAAAGAGATTTAAGAATGA GTTATTTGGAATGGAAGTAACAACGAGTTATACGTATATGTTATCTGATGAGGTGTATGT AGCAAATATAAGTGGTGTACTATCAACATATTTCAAAATTTATAATGAGTTTTATAAAGA GCAAATCACATTTGGACAGTCAAGAATGTTTATTCCTCATGTAACGTTGAGTTTTAGTAA TGAGAAAACGGTGAGAATAGACACTACAAAACTGTACATAGATTCTATTTACTTAAGAAA AATAAAAGGTGACACAGTGTTTGATATGACTGGGTGAGCTAAAAACTTAACACACTGGTC ACGATGTGACC SEQ ID NO: 15 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP4 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTATAAAATGGCTTCGCTCATTTATAGACAGCTACTCACTAATTCATACACAGTTGAA TTATCAGATGAAATTAATACAATTGGATCAGAAAAAAGTCAAAATGTAACGATTAATCCC GGACCGTTTGCTCAAACAAATTATGCACCAGTGACTTGGAGTCATGGGGAAGTGAATGAT TCGACAACGATAGAGCCAGTACTCGATGGTCCTTATCAACCAACAAATTTTAAGCCACCA AATGATTACTGGATATTATTGAATCCAACTAATCAACAAGTTGTATTAGAGGGTACCAAT AAAATTGATATTTGGGTTGCTTTATTACTTGTTGAACCAAACGTAACCAATCAAAGTAGA CAATACACATTATTTGGAGAAACGAAACAAATTACTGTAGAAAATAACACAAACAAATGG AAATTCTTCGAAATGTTCAGAAGTAATGTTAGTGCCGAATTTCAACATAAGCGCACTTTA ACATCAGACACTAAATTAGCTGGGTTTATGAAATTTTATAATAGTGTTTGGACTTTCCGC GGTGAAACGCCGCATGCTACAACTGATTACTCGTCAACTTCAAATTTATCTGAAGTAGAA ACTGTAATACATGTTGAGTTTTATATAATACCAAGATCGCAAGAATCTAAGTGTAGTGAA TACATAAATACTGGATTACCACCAATGCAGAATACAAGGAATATAGTTCCAGTTGCGTTA TCATCTAGGTCAGTGACTTATCAACGTGCTCAGGTTAATGAGGATATCATTATATCAAAG ACATCGTTGTGGAAAGAAATGCAATGTAACAGAGATATTATAATAAGGTTTAAATTTAAT AATAGTATAGTAAAACTTGGTGGGCTAGGTTATAAATGGTCAGAAATTTCGTTTAAAGCG GCTAATTATCAGTACAGTTACTTGCGAGATGGAGAGCAAGTTACGGCACATACTACTTGC TCAGTTAATGGTGTGAATAACTTCAGTTATAATGGAGGATCACTACCAACTGATTTTAGT GTATCAAGATATGAAGTGATTAAAGAGAATTCTTATGTTTATGTTGATTATTGGGATGAC TCACAAGCATTTAGGAACATGGTATATGTCAGGTCATTGGCAGCAAATTTAAATTCAGTG AAGTGTAGCGGAGGAACTTATAATTTTCAACTACCAGTTGGTGCATGGCCAGTGATGAGT GGAGGTGCAGTGTCTTTACATTTCGCAGGAGTCACTTTATCCACTCAATTTACTGACTTC GTATCACTTAATTCGTTAAGATTTAGATTCAGTTTAACCGTTGAAGAGCCACCGTTTTCA ATTTTACGTACACGTGTGTCAGGATTGTACGGGCTACCAGCATTCAATCCGAATGACGGA CATGAATACTATGAAATAGCTGGGAGATTTTCTCTTATTTCATTAGTGCCGTCTAATGAC GATTATCAAACTCCAATCATGAATTCAGTTACAGTGCGACAAGATCTTGAACGTCAACTA GGTGATTTAAGGGAGGAATTCAATTCCTTATCACAAGAAATAGCAATGACGCAATTGATA GATTTAGCATTATTGCCATTAGATATGTTTTCTATGTTTTCAGGTATTAAAAGCACAATT GACGTAGCCAAATCAATGGTCACAAAGGTGATGAAAAAGTTTAAGAAATCAGGATTAGCT ACATCAATCTCTGAATTGACTGGATCATTATCAAACGCTGCTTCATCAGTTTCCAGAAGT TCATCTATTAGATCTAACATATCATCCATATCAGTGTGGACGGATGTTTCCGAACAAATA GCGGGTTCGTCAGACTCCGTCAGGAACATTTCCACGCAAACGTCAGCTATTAGTAAAAGA TTGCGACTACGCGAAATTACTACACAAACTGAAGGTATGAATTTTGATGATATTTCAGCG GCAGTTCTTAAAACTAAAATAGATAGATCAACTCACATAAGCCCAAATACATTACCAGAC ATAATAACTGAGTCATCTGAAAAGTTTATACCAAAACGAGCTTATAGAGTTCTAAAAGAT GATGAAGTGATGGAAGCTGATGTGGATGGGAAGTTCTTTGCATATAAAGTTGGCACTTTT GAAGAAGTACCATTTGACGTAGATAAATTTGTTGATTTGGTAACCGATTCTCCTGTAATT TCAGCTATAATTGATTTTAAGACGTTGAAGAATTTAAACGACAATTATGGTATAACGCGA TCTCAAGCGTTAGACTTAATCAGATCTGATCCCAGAGTTTTACGCGATTTTATCAACCAG AATAATCCAATTATTAAAAATAGAATTGAACAGCTAATATTGCAATGTAGACTGTGAGAG CTCTATAGAGGATGTGACC SEQ ID NO: 16 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP6 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTTTAAAACGAAGTCTTCAACATGGATGTCCTGTACTCCTTATCAAAAACTCTTAAAG ATGCTAGAGACAAAATTGTCGAAGGCACATTATACTCTAATGTGAGTGATCTAATTCAAC AATTTAACCAAATGATAATTACTATGAATGGAAATGAGTTCCAAACTGGAGGAATTGGTA ATCTACCAATTAGAAATTGGAATTTTGATTTTGGATTACTTGGAACAACTCTACTAAATT TAGACGCTAACTACGTCGAAACAGCCCGTAACACAATTGATTATTTTGTAGATTTTGTAG ATAACGTATGTATGGATGAAATGGTTAGAGAATCACAAAGAAATGGAATTGCACCACAGT CAGACTCACTTAGAAAATTGTCAGGCATTAAGTTCAAAAGGATAAATTTTGATAATTCAT CGGAATATATAGAGAACTGGAATCTGCAAAACAGAAGACAACGAACAGGTTTTACATTTC ATAAACCAAATATTTTTCCTTATTCAGCGTCATTCACACTGAATAGATCACAACCAGCTC ATGATAACTTGATGGGTACAATGTGGCTGAACGCAGGATCAGAAATTCAGGTCGCTGGAT TCGACTATTCGTGTGCAATTAATGCGCCAGCTAATACACAACAATTTGAACATATTGTAC AGCTCCGAAGAGTTTTAACTACAGCTACAATAACACTTTTACCGGATGCAGAAAGATTCA GTTTTCCAAGAGTGATTAATTCAGCTGATGGAGCAACTACATGGTATTTTAATCCAGTAA TTCTTAGACCAAATAACGTTGAAGTGGAGTTTCTACTAAACGGGCAGATAATAAACACTT ACCAGGCTAGATTTGGAACGATCGTAGCTAGAAATTTTGATACAATCAGATTGTCGTTTC AGTTGATGAGACCACCAAATATGACACCATCGGTAGCAGCATTATTTCCAAATGCGCAAC CATTTGAACATCATGCTACAGTAGGACTTACATTGAAAATTGAATCTGCAGTTTGTGAAT CTGTACTTGCTGACGCAAGCGAGACAATGCTAGCAAATGTGACATCTGTTAGACAAGAAT ACGCGATACCAGTTGGACCAGTCTTTCCACCAGGTATGAATTGGACTGATTTGATCACTA ACTATTCACCATCTAGAGAGGATAACTTGCAGCGTGTATTTACAGTGGCTTCCATTAGAA GCATGCTTGTCAAATAAGGACCAAGCTAACCACTTGGTATCCAACTTTGGTGAGTATGTA GCTACGTCAAGCTGTTTGAACTCTGTAAGTAAGGATGCGCTTACGTATTCGCTACACAGA GTAATCACTCAGATGACGTAGTGAGAGGATGTGACC SEQ ID NO: 17 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP7 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTTTAAAAGAGAGAATTTCCGTTTGGCTAGCGGTTAGCTCCTTTTAATGTATGGTATT GAATATACTACAATTCTAACCTTTCTGATATCAATAGTTTTATTGAACTATATATTAAAA TCACTAACTAGTGCGATGGACTTTATAATTTATAGATTTCTTTTACTTATTGTTATTGCA TCACCTTTTGTTAAAACACAAAATTATGGAATTAATTTACCGATCACTGGCTCCATGGAT ACAGCATATGCAAATTCATCACAGCAAGAAACATTTTTGACTTCAACGCTATGCTTATAT TATCCTACAGAAGCATCAACTCAAATTGGAGATACGGAATGGAAGGATACTCTGTCCCAA TTATTCTTGACTAAAGGGTGGCCAACTGGATCAGTCTATTTTAAAGAATACACCGATATC GCTTCATTCTCAATTGATCCGCAACTTTATTGTGATTATAATGTTGTACTGATGAAGTAT GATTCAACGTTAAAGCTAGATATGTCTGAATTAGCTGATTTAATTCTAAATGAATGGTTA TGTAACCCAATGGATATAACATTATATTATTATCAGCAAACAGATGAAGCGAATAAATGG ATATCGATGGGACAGTCTTGTACCATAAAAGTATGTCCATTGAATACGCAGACTTTAGGA ATAGGTTGTATTACCACAAATACAGCGACATTTGAAGAGGTGGCTACAAATGAAAAATTA GTAATAACCGATGTTGTTGATGGTGTGAACCATAAACTTGATGTGACTACAAATACCTGT ACAATTAGGAATTGTAAGAAGTTGGGACCAAGAGAAAATGTAGCGATTATACAAGTCGGT GGCTCAGATGTGTTAGATATTACAGCGGATCCAACTACTGCACCACAAACTGAACGTATG ATGCGAGTAAATTGGAAGAAATGGTGGCAAGTTTTCTATACAGTAGTAGATTATATTAAT CAGATTGTGCAAGTTATGTCCAAAAGATCACGGTTATTAAATTCAGCAGCTTTTTACTAT AGGGTTTGATATATCTTAGGTTAGAATTGGTCGATGTGACC SEQ ID NO: 18 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSP1 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTTTTTTTATGAAAAGTCTTGTGGAAGCCATGGCTACTTTTAAAGACGCTTGCTATCA ATATAAAAAATTAAACAAATTAAATAATGCAGTTTTAAAGTTAGGAGCTAATGATGTTTG GAGACCTTCTACTCTAACAAAACGTAAAGGATGGTGCTTAGATTGTTGTCAACATACGGA CTTGACTTATTGCCAAGGATGCTTAATATATCATGTTTGTGAATGGTGTAGTCAATATAG TAGATGCTTTCTTGATAATGATCCGCATTTACTAAGAATGCGAACTTTTAGAAATGAAAT CACAAAGAGTGACTTAGAAAACTTAATTAATATGTATGATACATCATTTCCTATAAATCA AAAAATAGTTAATAAGTTTGCAAACGCAATTAAACAACATAAATGTAGAAATGAGTATTT GATACAATGGTATAATCATTTTTTAATGCCAATTACACTACAGTCTTTATCAATAGAATT AGATGGAGATATATATTATATATTTGGTTACTATGACGATATGCATAAAATTAATCAGAC TCCCTTCTCATTCACGAATTTAATTAGTAAATATGATGTATTACTGCTAGATAGTATAAA TTTTGACAGAATGGCATTTTTACCATTAACATTACAGCAAGAGTATGCACTTAGATATTT TTCAAAATCAAGATTTATTACTGAAAGAAGGAAATGTATTGAAATTTCACATTTTTCAGA TAATATATTAAATGATTTACATAACCCGAATTTTACATTACAAGTGATTAGAAATTGCAG TAATATGTCAGTTGAATGGAATAAAGCATGTAATCTTATTAGAAATATAAGTAATTATTT CGATATATTCAAATCGTCACATACTGAGTCTTATAATATATCTCCTAGATGTAGAGTATT CACACAATATAAATTAAAAATAGCATCTAAATTAATTAAACCAAATTATGTAGCATCAAA TCATAATTCCTTGGCTACTGAAGTACACAATTGCAAATGGTGTTCAATTAATAATAATTC TATTGTATGGACTGATTTCAGAATTAAAAATGTTTATAATGATATATTTAATTTTATTAG GGCTTTAGTGAAATCAAATCTTTACGTGGGACATTGTTCTTCAGAAGAAAAGATATATGA ATCTATTAAGGATATTTTAAATGTATGTAAAGAAAACGAATGGAACATGTTGGTAACGGA AATATTCAATCAATTAGATCCAATAAAGCTAAATGAGGATAGCTATGTTTTGTTGAATTA TGAAATAAATTGGAATGTTATGAATGTATTAATTAATAGTATCGGTAAAGTACCAAAAAT ATTAACTTTGAGTGACGTTATTTCGATTTTACGTATAATAATATATGATTGGTTTGACAT AAGGTTTATGAGAAATACTCCAATGACTACGTTCACAGTTAATAAATTAAAGCAATTATA TGAAAAGGATAGAACTGCAGAATATGATTCAGGTGTATCCGATGTTGAATAATTTCAGAG AAATTATGTTCGCCACCATGAGACTCTCTGCACTAGAGTAGCGCCTAGGCAGCATAAAAT GTAACC SEQ ID NO: 19 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSP2 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTTTTAAAGCGTCTCAGTCGCCGTTTGAGCCTTGCGGTGTAGCCATGGCTGAGCTAGC TTGCTTTTGCTATCCCCATTTGGAGAACGATAGCTATAAATTTATTCCTTTTAACAATTT GGCTATAAAATGTATGTTGACAGCAAAAGTAGAGAAAAAAGATCAGGACAAATTTTACAA CTCGATAATCTATGGTATTGCGCCGCCGCCACAATTTAAAAAACGCTATAATACAAATGA TAACTCAAGAGGAATGAATTATGAGACTGCAATGTTTAACAAAGTGGCGGTGCTAATTTG TGAAGCACTGAATTCAATTAAAGTCACGCAGTCTGATGTTGCAAGTGTACTTTCAAGAGT AGTTTCTGTGAGACATCTTGAGAATTTAGTATTGAGAAGAGAAAATCATCAGGACGTTCT TTTTCACTCAAAGGAGCTACTACTCAAATCAGTTTTAATAGCTATTGGTCATTCAAAGGA GATTGAAACGACTGCCACTGCTGAAGGGGGAGAAATTGTTTTTCAAAATGCAGCATTTAC AATGTGGAAATTGACATACTTGGAACATAAACTAATGCCAATTCTTGATCAAAACTTTAT TGAATATAAAATTACATTAAATGAAGATAAACCAATTTCAGAGTCACACGTAAAAGAACT TATTGCTGAATTACGGTGGCAATACAATAAATTTGCAGTAATTACGCATGGTAAAGGTCA CTATAGAGTTGTAAAATACTCGTCAGTTGCAAATCACGCAGACCGAGTTTACGCTACTTT TAAGAGTAATAACAAAAACGGAGGTCCACTAGAGTTTAATTTGCTTGACCAAAGGATAAT ATGGCAAAATTGGTACGCATTTACGTCCTCAATGAAACAAGGTAATGCTCTTGATGTATG CAAAAAACTACTCTTCCAAAAAATGAAGCGAGAAAGTAATCCATTTAAGGGGCTGTCAAC TGATAGAAAAATGGATGAAGTTTCTCAAGTAGGAATCTAATTCGTTATCTGTTTGAAGGT GGGTATGGCAGAGTAAGAATTGAAAGCGCTTATGTGACC SEQ ID NO: 20 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSP3 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTTTTAATGCTTTTCAGTGGTTGATGCTCAAGATGGAGTCTACTCAGCAGATGGCATC TTCTATTATTAACTCTTCTTTTGAAGCTGCAGTTGTCGCTGCAACTTCTACATTGGAATT AATGGGTATTCAATATGATTATAATGAAGTATATACTAGAGTTAAAAGTAAGTTTGATTT TGTAATGGATGATTCTGGCGTTAAGAATAATTTAATAGGTAAAGCAGCTACAATTGATCA GGCTTTGAATGGTAAGTTTAGTTCATCTATCAGAAATAGAAATTGGATGACTGATTCAAA AACTGTAGCAAGATTAGATGAAGATGTGAACAAACTTAGATTATTATTGTCATCGAAAGG AATTGATCAAAAAATGAGAGTTCTTAATGCATGCTTTAGTGTTAAAAGAGTACCTGAAAA ATCGTCATCTATCATTAAATGTACTAGGTTAATGAAAGAGAAAATAGAACGTGGAGAAGT CGAAGTGGATGATACATTCATTGAAGAAAAAATGGAAATTGACACTATAGATTGGAAATC CAGATATGATCAACTTGAAAGACGATTTGAGTCGTTAAAACAGCGAGTTAACGAAAAGTA CAATAATTGGGTTATTAAGGCAAGGAAAATAAACGAAAACATGAACTCTCTTCAGAATGT TATTTCGCAACAACAAGCTCATATCAATGAATTACAAATATATAATGATAAACTAGAGCG TGATTTACAATCAAAAATAGGATCAGTTATTTCATCCATTGAATGGTACTTACGGTCTAT GGAACTATCAGATGACATTAAATCAGATATTGAACAACAACTCAATTCAATAGATCATAT TAATCCAGTTAATGCTTTTGATGATTTTGAGTCTATTCTTCGTAATTTAATATCTGATTA TGATAGAATTTTTATTATGTTTAAAGGATTGTTGCAGCAAAGTAATTACACATATACCTA TGAGTAAACATAGCATATTACCATCTTCACGTAACCCTCTATGAGCACAATAGTTAAAAG CTAACACTGTCAAAAACCTAAATGGCTATAGGGGCGTTATGTGACC SEQ ID NO: 21 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSP4 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTTTTAAAAGTTCTGTTCCGAGAGAGCGCGTGCGGAAAGATGGAAAAGTTTACCGACCTCAACTACAC ATTGAGTGTAATCACTTTAATGAATAGCACATTACATACAATACTAGAGGATCCAGGAATGGCGTATTTT CCTTATATTGCATCTGTCCTGACAGTTTTGTTTACATTACACAAAGCGTCAATTCCAACAATGAAAATAGC ATTGAAGACGTCAAAATGTTCGTATAAAGTAGTAAAGTATTGCATTGTGACAATCCTTAATACATTATTA AAGTTAGCAGGTTACAAAGAACAAATTACTACTAAAGATGAAATAGAAAAACAAATGGACAGAGTTGTT AAAGAAATGAGACGTCAATTAGAGATGATCGATAAACTAACTACACGTGAAATTGAACAAGTCGAATTA CTTAAACGCATCTACGATAAATTAATAGTGCGATCAACTGATGAGATAGATATGACAAAAGAAATTAATC AAAAGAACGTAAGAACGCTAGAAGAGTGGGAGAGCGGAAAAAATCCTTATGAACCAAAAGAAGTGACT GCAGCGATGTGAGAGGTTGAGCTGCCGTCGACTGTCTTCGGAAGCGGCGGAGTTCTTTACAGTAAACTCC ATTGGACCTGATGGCTGGCTAAGAAGCCATAGTCAGCCATATCGCGTGTGGCTCAAGCCTTAATCCCGTT TAACTAATCCGGTCAGCACCGGACGTTAATGGAAGGAACGGTCTTAATGTGACC SEQ ID NO: 22 is an exemplary nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSP5 polypeptide from an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus: GGCTTTTAAAGCGCTACAGTGATGTCTCTTAGTATTGACGTGAATAGTCTTCCTTCAATT TCTTCTAGCGTTTATAAAAATGAATCGTTTTCAACAACGTCAACTATTTCTGGAAAATCT ATTGGTAGGAGTGAACAGTACATTTCACCAGATGCAGAAGCTTTCAATAAGTACATGTTG TCAAAATCTCCAGAAGATATTGGACCTTCTGATTCTGCATCGAACGATCCACTCACCAGC TTTTCGATTAGATCGAATGCAGTTAAGACAAATGCAGATGCTGGCGTGTCTATGGATTCA TCAGCACAATCACGACCATCTAGCGACATTGGATACGATCAAATGGATTTCTCCTTAAAT AAAGGTATTAAAATTGATGCTACAATGGATTCTTCAATATCAATATCTACTACATCAAAG AAGGAGAAATCTAAACAAGAGAACAAAAATAAATATAAAAAATGTTATCCAAAAATTGAA GCAGAATCTGATTCTGATGAATACGTATTAGATGATTCAGATAGTGATGATGGAAAATGT AAAAATTGCAAGTATAAAAAGAAATATTTTGCACTTCGTTTAAGAATGAAACAAGTTGCA ATGCAATTGATTAAAGATTTGTGAAAATTTTCTGATTACTCTTATCATTAACTGTTAAAT ATTTACTTATTATACGGATGATAAGTGTTGTTTAATTATATTATATAATAGTATTATTAT ATCGCGTTATTGAATTTAACAACTTTCTAATGAGAGAAGATTAATGCGTCTACCCTAAGA GATCACTAGGGAGCTCCCCACTCCCGTTTTGTGACC

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS

Disclosed herein is an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus that can be included in a pharmaceutical composition for administration to a subject. In additional embodiments, the pharmaceutical composition is a vaccine The attenuated rotavirus can induce an immune response, and/or prevent disease associated with rotavirus infection, from the same rotavirus type (e.g., G9P[6]) and/or another rotavirus type. In some embodiments, the vaccine is effective to induce an immune response against more than one type of rotavirus. In further embodiments, the vaccine can be used to induce a homotypic immune response to DS-1 like strains. In more embodiments, the vaccine can be used to induce a heterotypic immune response to Wa-1 like strains.

The pharmaceutical composition can include other components, such as an inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus. The G1P[8] rotavirus can be a heat inactivated rotavirus. In some embodiments, the pharmaceutical composition includes an adjuvant.

Isolated nucleic acids and proteins from the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus are also disclosed. These components can also be used in pharmaceutical compositions.

Methods are also disclosed for inducing an immune response to a rotavirus in a subject. The subject can be a child, such as a human of less than five years of age or less than one year of age. The immune response can be a protective immune response. In some embodiments, methods for vaccination are disclosed. In some embodiments, these methods can include at least one prime and boost.

Terms

Unless otherwise noted, technical terms are used according to conventional usage. Definitions of common terms in molecular biology may be found in Benjamin Lewin, Genes V, published by Oxford University Press, 1994 (ISBN 0-19-854287-9); Kendrew et al. (eds.), The Encyclopedia of Molecular Biology, published by Blackwell Science Ltd., 1994 (ISBN 0-632-02182-9); and Robert A. Meyers (ed.), Molecular Biology and Biotechnology: a Comprehensive Desk Reference, published by VCH Publishers, Inc., 1995 (ISBN 1-56081-569-8). In order to facilitate review of the various embodiments of the disclosure, the following explanations of specific terms are provided:

Adjuvant: A substance or vehicle that non-specifically enhances the immune response to an antigen. Adjuvants can include a suspension of minerals (alum, aluminum salts, aluminum hydroxide, or phosphate) on which antigen is adsorbed; or water-in-oil emulsion in which antigen solution is emulsified in mineral oil (for example, Freund's incomplete adjuvant), sometimes with the inclusion of killed mycobacteria (Freund's complete adjuvant) to further enhance antigenicity. Immunostimulatory oligonucleotides (such as those including a CpG motif) can also be used as adjuvants (for example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,194,388; 6,207,646; 6,214,806; 6,218,371; 6,239,116; 6,339,068; 6,406,705; and 6,429,199). Adjuvants also include biological molecules, such as costimulatory molecules. Exemplary biological adjuvants include interleukin (IL)-2, RANTES, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3), CD72, B7-1, B7-2, OX-40L and 4-1BBL. An adjuvant can be an aluminum adjuvant, such as aluminum salts, aluminum phosphate or aluminum hydroxide.

Administer: To give, apply or bring the composition into contact with the subject. Administration can be accomplished by any of a number of routes, such as, for example, topical, transcutaneous, oral, intranasal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous and intrathecal. A composition can be administered therapeutically or prophylactically. Prophylactic administration can occur prior to manifestation of symptoms characteristic of an infection, such as a rotavirus infection.

Animal: Living multicellular vertebrate organisms, a category which includes, for example, mammals and birds.

Antigen: A compound, composition, or substance that can stimulate the production of antibodies or a T-cell response in an animal, including compositions that are injected or absorbed into an animal. An antigen reacts with the products of specific humoral or cellular immunity. Antigens include, but are not limited to VP4 and VP7.

Attenuated: In the context of a live virus, the virus is attenuated if its ability to infect a cell or subject and/or its ability to produce disease is reduced (for example, eliminated) compared to a wild-type virus. Typically, an attenuated virus retains at least some capacity to elicit an immune response following administration to an immunocompetent subject. In some cases, an attenuated virus is capable of eliciting a protective immune response without causing any signs or symptoms of infection, such as a rotavirus infection. In some embodiments, the ability of an attenuated virus to cause disease in a subject is reduced at least about 10%, at least about 25%, at least about 50%, at least about 75% or at least about 90% relative to wild-type virus. Accordingly, an “attenuating mutation” is a mutation in the viral genome and/or an encoded polypeptide that results in an attenuated virus.

Biological sample: A sample obtained from a subject (such as a human or veterinary subject). Exemplary biological samples include fluid, cell and/or tissue samples. In some embodiments herein, the biological sample is a fluid sample. Fluid samples include, but are not limited to, serum, blood, plasma, urine, feces, saliva, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) or other bodily fluid. Biological samples can also refer to cells or tissue samples, such as biopsy samples, tissue sections or isolated leukocytes.

Contacting: Placement in direct physical association; includes both in solid and liquid form. “Contacting” is often used interchangeably with “exposed.” In some cases, “contacting” includes transfecting, such as transfecting a nucleic acid molecule into a cell. In other examples, “contacting” refers to incubating a molecule (such as an antibody) with a biological sample.

Degenerate variant: In the context of the present disclosure, a “degenerate variant” refers to a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide that includes a sequence that is degenerate as a result of the genetic code. There are 20 natural amino acids, most of which are specified by more than one codon. Therefore, all degenerate nucleotide sequences encoding a peptide are included as long as the amino acid sequence of the peptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence is unchanged.

Detecting: Determining the presence, using any method, of the virus or viral particles including viral peptides, inside cells, on cells, and/or in medium with which cells or the virus have come into contact. The methods are exemplified by, but not limited to, the observation of cytopathic effect, detection of viral protein, such as by immunofluorescence, ELISA, or Western blot hybridization, detection of viral nucleic acid sequence, such as by PCR, RT-PCR, Southern blots, and Northern blots, nucleic acid hybridization, nucleic acid arrays, and the like.

Diarrhea: The condition of having at least three loose or liquid bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin with loss of the normal stretchiness of the skin and changes in personality. This can progress to decreased urination, loss of skin color, a fast heart rate, and a decrease in responsiveness as it becomes more severe. The most common cause is an infection of the intestines due to either a virus, bacteria, or parasite; a condition known as gastroenteritis. Diarrhea is most commonly due to viral gastroenteritis with rotavirus, which accounts for 40% of cases in children under five.

Expression Vector: A plasmid, a virus or another medium, known in the art, into which a nucleic acid sequence for encoding a desired protein can be inserted or introduced.

Heterologous: A heterologous sequence is a sequence that is not normally (i.e. in the wild-type sequence) found adjacent to a second sequence. In one embodiment, the sequence is from a different genetic source, such as a different virus or organism, than the second sequence.

Host cell: A cell that is susceptible to transformation, transfection, transduction, conjugation, and the like with an exogenous nucleic acid construct or expression vector. Host cells can be from mammals, plants, bacteria, yeast, fungi, insects, animals, etc. A host cell can be from a human or a non-human primate.

Hybridization: Oligonucleotides and their analogs hybridize by hydrogen bonding, which includes Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen or reversed Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding, between complementary bases. Generally, nucleic acid consists of nitrogenous bases that are either pyrimidines (cytosine (C), uracil (U), and thymine (T)) or purines (adenine (A) and guanine (G)). These nitrogenous bases form hydrogen bonds between a pyrimidine and a purine, and the bonding of the pyrimidine to the purine is referred to as “base pairing.” More specifically, A will hydrogen bond to T or U, and G will bond to C. “Complementary” refers to the base pairing that occurs between two distinct nucleic acid sequences or two distinct regions of the same nucleic acid sequence.

“Specifically hybridizable” and “specifically complementary” are terms that indicate a sufficient degree of complementarity such that stable and specific binding occurs between the oligonucleotide (or its analog) and the DNA or RNA target. The oligonucleotide or oligonucleotide analog need not be 100% complementary to its target sequence to be specifically hybridizable. An oligonucleotide or analog is specifically hybridizable when binding of the oligonucleotide or analog to the target DNA or RNA molecule interferes with the normal function of the target DNA or RNA, and there is a sufficient degree of complementarity to avoid non-specific binding of the oligonucleotide or analog to non-target sequences under conditions where specific binding is desired, for example under physiological conditions in the case of in vivo assays or systems. Such binding is referred to as specific hybridization.

Hybridization conditions resulting in particular degrees of stringency will vary depending upon the nature of the hybridization method of choice and the composition and length of the hybridizing nucleic acid sequences. Generally, the temperature of hybridization and the ionic strength (especially the N⁺ a and/or Mg⁺⁺ concentration) of the hybridization buffer will determine the stringency of hybridization, though wash times also influence stringency. Calculations regarding hybridization conditions required for attaining particular degrees of stringency are discussed by Sambrook et al. (ed.), Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2^(nd) ed., vol. 1-3, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989, chapters 9 and 11; and Ausubel et al. Short Protocols in Molecular Biology, 4^(th) ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999.

For purposes of the present disclosure, “stringent conditions” encompass conditions under which hybridization will only occur if there is less than 25% mismatch between the hybridization molecule and the target sequence. “Stringent conditions” may be broken down into particular levels of stringency for more precise definition. Thus, as used herein, “moderate stringency” conditions are those under which molecules with more than 25% sequence mismatch will not hybridize; conditions of “medium stringency” are those under which molecules with more than 15% mismatch will not hybridize, and conditions of “high stringency” are those under which sequences with more than 10% mismatch will not hybridize. Conditions of “very high stringency” are those under which sequences with more than 6% mismatch will not hybridize.

“Specific hybridization” refers to the binding, duplexing, or hybridizing of a molecule only or substantially only to a particular nucleotide sequence when that sequence is present in a complex mixture (for example, total cellular DNA or RNA). Specific hybridization may also occur under conditions of varying stringency. Hybridization conditions resulting in particular degrees of stringency will vary depending upon the nature of the hybridization method and the composition and length of the hybridizing nucleic acid sequences. The following is an exemplary set of hybridization conditions and is not limiting:

Very High Stringency (Detects Sequences that Share at Least 90% Identity)

Hybridization: 5×SSC at 65° C. for 16 hours

Wash twice: 2×SSC at room temperature (RT) for 15 minutes each

Wash twice: 0.5×SSC at 65° C. for 20 minutes each

High Stringency (Detects Sequences that Share at Least 80% Identity)

Hybridization: 5×-6×SSC at 65° C.-70° C. for 16-20 hours

Wash twice: 2×SSC at RT for 5-20 minutes each

Wash twice: 1×SSC at 55° C.-70° C. for 30 minutes each

Low Stringency (Detects Sequences that Share at Least 60% Identity)

Hybridization: 6×SSC at RT to 55° C. for 16-20 hours

Wash at least twice: 2×-3×SSC at RT to 55° C. for 20-30 minutes each

Immune response: A response of a cell of the immune system, such as a B-cell, T-cell, macrophage or polymorphonucleocyte, to a stimulus such as a rotaviral antigen or a vaccine. An immune response can include any cell of the body involved in a host defense response, including for example, an epithelial cell that secretes an interferon or a cytokine. An immune response includes, but is not limited to, an innate immune response or inflammation. As used herein, a “protective” immune response refers to an immune response that protects a subject from infection (prevents infection or prevents the development of disease associated with infection) or reduces the effects of the infection.

Immunogen: A compound, composition, or substance which is capable, under appropriate conditions, of stimulating an immune response, such as the production of antibodies or a T-cell response in an animal, such as to a rotavirus. An immunogen includes compositions that are injected or absorbed into an animal. As used herein, an “immunogenic composition” is a composition comprising an immunogen. Exemplary immunogens include a rotavirus, a rotavirus polypeptide, or a nucleic acid encoding a rotavirus polypeptide that can be expressed in a cell.

Immunize: To render a subject protected from an infectious disease, such as by vaccination.

Isolated: An “isolated” biological component (such as a nucleic acid, protein or virus) has been substantially separated or purified away from other biological components (such as cell debris, or other proteins or nucleic acids). Biological components that have been “isolated” include those components purified by standard purification methods. The term “isolated” also embraces recombinant biological components, such as nucleic acids, proteins or viruses, as well as chemically synthesized nucleic acids or peptides, that are not in their natural environment. An isolated composition can be at least 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100% pure.

Label: A detectable moiety or any atom, molecule or a portion thereof, the presence, absence or level of which is directly or indirectly monitorable. A variety of detectable moieties are well known to those skilled in the art, and can be any material detectable by spectroscopic, photochemical, biochemical, immunochemical, electrical, optical or chemical means. Such detectable labels can include, but are not limited to, magnetic beads, fluorescent dyes, radiolabels, enzymes, and colorimetric labels such as colloidal gold or colored glass or plastic beads.

Mammal: This term includes both human and non-human mammals. Similarly, the term “subject” includes both human and veterinary subjects.

Nucleic acid: Deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, and polymers thereof, in either single-stranded or double-stranded form. This term includes complements of single stranded nucleotides and cDNAs. This term also includes RNA. Unless otherwise indicated, a particular nucleic acid sequence also implicitly encompasses conservatively modified variants thereof (e.g., degenerate codon substitutions) and complementary sequences, as well as the sequence explicitly indicated. Specifically, degenerate codon substitutions can be achieved by generating sequences in which the third position of one or more selected (or all) codons is substituted with mixed-base and/or deoxyinosine residues (Batzer et al., Nucleic Acid Res. 19:5081 (1991); Ohtsuka et al., J. Biol. Chem. 260:2605-2608 (1985); Rossolini et al., Mol. Cell. Probes 8:91-98 (1994)). The term nucleic acid is used interchangeably with gene, cDNA, mRNA, oligonucleotide, and polynucleotide.

A particular nucleotide sequence can encompass “splice variants,” which as the name suggests, are products of alternative splicing of a gene. After transcription, an initial nucleic acid transcript can be spliced such that different (alternate) nucleic acid splice products encode different polypeptides. Mechanisms for the production of splice variants vary, but include alternate splicing of exons. Alternate polypeptides derived from the same nucleic acid by read-through transcription are also encompassed by this definition. Any products of a splicing reaction, including recombinant forms of the splice products, are included in this definition. A polynucleotide is generally a linear nucleotide sequence, including sequences of greater than 100 nucleotide bases in length.

Oligonucleotide: A short nucleic acid polymer. Oligonucleotides are generally less than 100 nucleotides in length. In some embodiments herein, the oligonucleotide is 8-100, 10-50, 12-40, 16-30 or 18-24 nucleotides in length. In particular examples, the oligonucleotide is 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 or 30 nucleotides in length.

Operably linked: A first nucleic acid sequence is operably linked with a second nucleic acid sequence when the first nucleic acid sequence is placed in a functional relationship with the second nucleic acid sequence. For instance, a promoter is operably linked to a coding sequence if the promoter affects the transcription or expression of the coding sequence. Generally, operably linked DNA sequences are contiguous and, where necessary to join two protein-coding regions, in the same reading frame.

ORF (open reading frame): A series of nucleotide triplets (codons) coding for amino acids without any termination codons. These sequences are usually translatable into a peptide.

Pharmaceutically acceptable carrier: The pharmaceutically acceptable carriers (vehicles) useful in this disclosure are conventional. Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, by E. W. Martin, Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa., 15th Edition (1975), describes compositions and formulations suitable for pharmaceutical delivery of one or more therapeutic compounds or molecules, such as one or more rotaviruses, such as attenuated and/or inactivated viruses, and additional pharmaceutical agents.

In general, the nature of the carrier will depend on the particular mode of administration being employed. For instance, parenteral formulations usually comprise injectable fluids that include pharmaceutically and physiologically acceptable fluids such as water, physiological saline, balanced salt solutions, aqueous dextrose, glycerol or the like as a vehicle. For solid compositions (for example, powder, pill, tablet, or capsule forms), conventional non-toxic solid carriers can include, for example, pharmaceutical grades of mannitol, lactose, starch, or magnesium stearate. In addition to biologically-neutral carriers, pharmaceutical compositions to be administered can contain minor amounts of non-toxic auxiliary substances, such as wetting or emulsifying agents, preservatives, and pH buffering agents and the like, for example sodium acetate or sorbitan monolaurate.

Polypeptide: A polymer in which the monomers are amino acid residues which are joined together through amide bonds. When the amino acids are alpha-amino acids, either the L-optical isomer or the D-optical isomer can be used. The terms “polypeptide” or “protein” as used herein are intended to encompass any amino acid sequence and include modified sequences such as glycoproteins. The term “polypeptide” is specifically intended to cover naturally occurring proteins, as well as those which are recombinantly or synthetically produced. The term “residue” or “amino acid residue” includes reference to an amino acid that is incorporated into a protein, polypeptide, or peptide.

Conservative amino acid substitutions are those substitutions that, when made, least interfere with the properties of the original protein, that is, the structure and especially the function of the protein is conserved and not significantly changed by such substitutions. Examples of conservative substitutions are shown below.

Original Residue Conservative Substitutions Ala Ser Arg Lys Asn Gln, His Asp Glu Cys Ser Gln Asn Glu Asp His Asn; Gln Ile Leu, Val Leu Ile; Val Lys Arg; Gln; Glu Met Leu; Ile Phe Met; Leu; Tyr Ser Thr Thr Ser Trp Tyr Tyr Trp; Phe Val Ile; Leu

Conservative substitutions generally maintain (a) the structure of the polypeptide backbone in the area of the substitution, for example, as a sheet or helical conformation, (b) the charge or hydrophobicity of the molecule at the target site, or (c) the bulk of the side chain.

The substitutions which in general are expected to produce the greatest changes in protein properties will be non-conservative, for instance changes in which (a) a hydrophilic residue, for example, seryl or threonyl, is substituted for (or by) a hydrophobic residue, for example, leucyl, isoleucyl, phenylalanyl, valyl or alanyl; (b) a cysteine or proline is substituted for (or by) any other residue; (c) a residue having an electropositive side chain, for example, lysyl, arginyl, or histadyl, is substituted for (or by) an electronegative residue, for example, glutamyl or aspartyl; or (d) a residue having a bulky side chain, for example, phenylalanine, is substituted for (or by) one not having a side chain, for example, glycine.

Preventing, treating or ameliorating a disease or infection: “Preventing” a disease refers to inhibiting the full development of a disease or symptoms of an infection. “Treating” refers to a therapeutic intervention that ameliorates a sign or symptom of a disease or pathological condition, such as an infection after it has begun to develop. “Ameliorating” refers to the reduction in the number or severity of signs or symptoms of a disease.

Probes and primers: A probe comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule attached to a detectable label or other reporter molecule. Typical labels include radioactive isotopes, enzyme substrates, co-factors, ligands, chemiluminescent or fluorescent agents, haptens, and enzymes. Methods for labeling and guidance in the choice of labels appropriate for various purposes are discussed, for example, in Sambrook et al. (ed.), Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2^(nd) ed., vol. 1-3, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989 and Ausubel et al. Short Protocols in Molecular Biology, 4^(th) ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999.

Primers are short nucleic acid molecules, for instance DNA oligonucleotides 10 nucleotides or more in length, for example that hybridize to contiguous complementary nucleotides or a sequence to be amplified. Longer DNA oligonucleotides may be about 12, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, or 50 nucleotides or more in length. Primers can be annealed to a complementary target DNA strand by nucleic acid hybridization to form a hybrid between the primer and the target DNA strand, and then the primer extended along the target DNA strand by a DNA polymerase enzyme. Primer pairs can be used for amplification of a nucleic acid sequence, for example, by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or other nucleic-acid amplification methods known in the art. Other examples of amplification include strand displacement amplification, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,311; transcription-free isothermal amplification, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,881; repair chain reaction amplification, as disclosed in WO 90/01069; ligase chain reaction amplification; gap filling ligase chain reaction amplification, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,930; and NASBA™ RNA transcription-free amplification, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,134.

Methods for preparing and using nucleic acid probes and primers are described, for example, in Sambrook et al. (ed.), Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2^(nd) ed., vol. 1-3, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989; Ausubel et al. Short Protocols in Molecular Biology, 4^(th) ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999; and Innis et al. PCR Protocols, A Guide to Methods and Applications, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, Calif., 1990. Amplification primer pairs can be derived from a known sequence, for example, by using computer programs intended for that purpose such as Primer (Version 0.5, © 1991, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Mass.).

Promoter: A promoter is an array of nucleic acid control sequences which direct transcription of a nucleic acid. A promoter includes necessary nucleic acid sequences near the start site of transcription, such as, in the case of a polymerase II type promoter, a TATA element. A promoter also optionally includes distal enhancer or repressor elements which can be located as much as several thousand base pairs from the start site of transcription.

Purified: The term “purified” does not require absolute purity; rather, it is intended as a relative term. Thus, for example, a purified protein preparation is one in which the protein referred to is more pure than the protein in its natural environment within a cell. For example, a preparation of a protein is purified such that the protein represents at least 50% of the total protein content of the preparation. Similarly, a purified oligonucleotide preparation is one in which the oligonucleotide is more pure than in an environment including a complex mixture of oligonucleotides. A purified population of nucleic acids or proteins is greater than about 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100% pure, or free other nucleic acids or proteins, respectively.

Recombinant: A recombinant nucleic acid, protein or virus is one that has a sequence that is not naturally occurring or has a sequence that is made by an artificial combination of two otherwise separated segments of sequence. This artificial combination is often accomplished by chemical synthesis or, more commonly, by the artificial manipulation of isolated segments of nucleic acids, for example, by genetic engineering techniques. In some examples, the recombinant rotavirus comprises one or more deletions in a viral virulence factor, such as NSs. In other examples, the recombinant viruses include a heterologous gene, such as a reporter gene.

Reporter gene: A reporter gene is a gene operably linked to another gene or nucleic acid sequence of interest (such as a promoter sequence). Reporter genes are used to determine whether the gene or nucleic acid of interest is expressed in a cell or has been activated in a cell. Reporter genes typically have easily identifiable characteristics, such as fluorescence, or easily assayed products, such as an enzyme. Reporter genes can also confer antibiotic resistance to a host cell or tissue. Reporter genes include, for example, labels such as green fluorescent protein (GFP or eGFP) or other fluorescence genes, luciferase, β-galactosidase and alkaline phosphatase.

Rotavirus: A double stranded RNA virus; the genome of a rotavirus consists of 11 unique double helix molecules of RNA which are 18,555 nucleotides in total. Each helix, or segment, is a gene, numbered 1 to 11 by decreasing size. Each gene codes for one protein, except genes 11, which codes for two proteins. There are eight species of rotavirus, referred to as A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H. Humans are primarily infected by species A, B, C and H, most commonly by species A. The A-E species cause disease in other animals Within rotavirus A there are different strains, called serotypes. There are six viral proteins (VPs) that form the virus particle (virion). These structural proteins are called VP1, VP2, VP3, VP4, VP6 and VP7. In addition to the VPs, there are six nonstructural proteins (NSPs), that are only produced in cells infected by rotavirus. These are called NSP1, NSP2, NSP3, NSP4, NSPS and NSP6. The glycoprotein VP7 defines the G serotypes and the protease-sensitive protein VP4 defines P serotypes. Wild-type rotaviruses replicate mainly in the gut, and infect enterocytes of the villi of the small intestine, leading to structural and functional changes of the epithelium. Two well-known rotavirus A prototype strains are Wa (G1-P[8]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1) and DS-1 (G2-P[4]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2). Rotavirus A strains G1P[8], G3P[8], G4P[8], and G9P[8] are pure Wa genogroup members because they have a Wa-like constellation (Gx-P[x]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1) composed of genotype 1 genes; G2P[4] is a pure DS-1 genogroup member because it has a DS-1-like constellation (Gx-P[x]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2) composed of genotype 2 genes. The segmented nature of rotavirus A genomes enables them to undergo gene reassortment during co-infection in 1 cell, leading to the emergence of progeny viruses containing mixed segments from ≥2 different parental strains. However, some human rotavirus G/P-types have a purely Wa-like or a DS-1-like genome constellation.

Sequence identity: The similarity between amino acid or nucleic acid sequences is expressed in terms of the similarity between the sequences, otherwise referred to as sequence identity. Sequence identity is frequently measured in terms of percentage identity (or similarity or homology); the higher the percentage, the more similar the two sequences are. Homologs or variants of a given gene or protein will possess a relatively high degree of sequence identity when aligned using standard methods.

Methods of alignment of sequences for comparison are well known in the art. Various programs and alignment algorithms are described in: Smith and Waterman, Adv. Appl. Math. 2:482, 1981; Needleman and Wunsch, J. Mol. Biol. 48:443, 1970; Pearson and Lipman, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85:2444, 1988; Higgins and Sharp, Gene 73:237-244, 1988; Higgins and Sharp, CABIOS 5:151-153, 1989; Corpet et al., Nucleic Acids Research 16:10881-10890, 1988; and Pearson and Lipman, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85:2444, 1988. Altschul et al., Nature Genet. 6:119-129, 1994.

The NCBI Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST™) (Altschul et al., J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410, 1990) is available from several sources, including the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI, Bethesda, Md.) and on the Internet, for use in connection with the sequence analysis programs blastp, blastn, blastx, tblastn and tblastx.

In some embodiments herein, provided are nucleotide or amino acid sequences at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-10.

Subject: Living multi-cellular vertebrate organisms, a category that includes both human and non-human mammals.

Therapeutically effective amount: A quantity of a specified agent sufficient to achieve a desired effect in a subject being treated with that agent. For example, this may be the amount of an attenuated rotavirus useful for eliciting an immune response in a subject and/or for preventing infection by a rotavirus. Ideally, in the context of the present disclosure, a therapeutically effective amount of an attenuated rotavirus is an amount sufficient to increase resistance to, prevent, ameliorate, and/or treat infection caused by a rotavirus a subject without causing a substantial deleterious effects in the subject. The effective amount of an attenuated rotavirus useful for increasing resistance to, preventing, ameliorating, and/or treating infection in a subject will be dependent on, for example, the subject being treated, the manner of administration of the therapeutic composition and other factors.

Vaccine: A preparation of immunogenic material capable of stimulating an immune response, administered for the prevention, amelioration, or treatment of infectious or other types of disease. The immunogenic material may include attenuated or killed microorganisms (such as attenuated viruses), antigenic proteins, peptides or DNA encoding an antigenic protein or peptide. Vaccines may elicit both prophylactic (preventative) and therapeutic responses. Methods of administration vary according to the vaccine, but may include inoculation, ingestion, inhalation or other forms of administration. Inoculations can be delivered by any of a number of routes, including parenteral, such as intravenous, subcutaneous or intramuscular. Vaccines may be administered with an adjuvant to boost the immune response.

Vector: A nucleic acid molecule as introduced into a host cell, thereby producing a transformed host cell. A vector may include nucleic acid sequences that permit it to replicate in a host cell, such as an origin of replication (DNA sequences that participate in initiating DNA synthesis). A vector may also include one or more selectable marker genes and other genetic elements known in the art.

Unless otherwise explained, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The singular terms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, the word “or” is intended to include “and” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Hence “comprising A or B” means including A, or B, or A and B. It is further to be understood that all base sizes or amino acid sizes, and all molecular weight or molecular mass values, given for nucleic acids or polypeptides are approximate, and are provided for description. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure, suitable methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. All GENBANK® Accession numbers are incorporated by reference herein as they appear in the database on Apr. 19, 2013. In case of conflict, the present specification, including explanations of terms, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

Immunogenic Compositions

Attenuated forms of G9P[6] rotaviruses have not been previously produced or identified. An attenuated rotavirus is particularly advantageous because it can be used to induce an immune response, while not causing diarrhea. This type of rotavirus is also advantageous because the immune response can be directed to DS-1 like viruses. In a specific non-limiting example, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is CDC-6, that is non-naturally occurring. Compositions can be produced including an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus that can be used as vaccines, such as to produce an immune response to Wa (genogroup 1) and/or DS-1 (genogroup2) rotaviruses.

In some embodiments the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus can be included in a pharmaceutical composition and can be used to induce an immune response to a rotavirus. In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus grows to a titer of at least about 10⁷ to about 10⁸ when propagated in host cells in vitro. Higher titers are contemplated.

In some embodiments, the disclosed attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus can be used to induce an immune response to a G9P[6] rotavirus, such as a protective immune response. The attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus can be used to induce an immune response to more than one type rotavirus, such as the DS-1 like strains. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus can be used to induce an immune response to at least a G9P[6] rotavirus and a G1P[8] rotavirus. In further embodiments, the rotavirus can be used to induce an immune response to at least a G2P[4] rotavirus and a G1P[8] rotavirus.

A rotavirus includes 11 RNA segments (nucleic acid molecules) encoding a VP1, VP2, VP3, VP4, NSP1, NSP1, NSP3, NSPS and NSP4 polypeptides. The function and active domains of these proteins are known in the art, see, for example, Prasad B V, Chiu W (1994), Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 185: 9-29; Patton J T (1995) Gen. Virol. 76 (11): 2633-44; and Pesavento et al., (2006), Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 309: 189-219, all incorporated by reference herein. In a specific non-limiting example, the attenuated rotavirus. It should be noted that in this context, for any of the G9P[6] polypeptides or polynucleotides, “about” for a percentage identity indicates within 0.05%.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a VP1 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP1 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP1 nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP1 polypeptide at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a VP1 polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a VP2 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP2 nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP2 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a VP3 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP3 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP3 nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.4% identical, about 99.5% identical, about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP3 polypeptide at least about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a VP3 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a VP4 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP4 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP4 nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, about 99.5% identical, about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP4 polypeptide at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a VP4 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a VP6 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP6 nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. In a specific non-limiting example, embodiments, the rotavirus includes the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP6 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a VP7 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 98.9% identical, at least about 99.0% identical, at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP7 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP7 nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.4% identical, about 99.5% identical, about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a VP7 polypeptide at least about 98.9% identical, at least about 99.0% identical, at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a VP7 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding an NSP1 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 98.9% identical, at least about 99.0% identical, at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSP1 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a NSP1 nucleic acid sequence at least about at least about 99.2% identical, at least 99.3% identical, at least 99.4% identical, about 99.5% identical, about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a NSP1 polypeptide at least about 98.9% identical, at least about 99.0% identical, at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a NSP1 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a NSP2 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a NSP2 nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19. In a specific non-limiting example, embodiments, the rotavirus includes the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a NSP2 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a NSP3 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSP3 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a NSP3 nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a NSP3 polypeptide at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a NSP3 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a NSP4 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a NSP4 nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.2% identical, at least 99.3% identical, at least 99.4% identical, about 99.5% identical, about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21. In a specific non-limiting example, embodiments, the rotavirus includes the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a NSP4 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a NSPS polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSPS polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus includes a NSPS nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22. In other embodiments, the rotavirus includes a NSPS polypeptide at least about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes a NSPS polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 99.8% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1 (VP1); b) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2 (VP2); c) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 99.6% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 (VP3); d) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 99.1% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 (VP4); e) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 (VP6); f) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 98.9% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 (VP7); h) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 98.9% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 (NSP1); i) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 (NSP2); j) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 98.8% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 (NSP3); k) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 (NSP4); and 1) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 99.6% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 (NSPS). This rotavirus can include comprising one, two, three, four or all of: a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1 (VP1); b) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 (VP4); c) a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 (VP7); d) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 (NSP1); and e) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 (NSP3).

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1 (VP1); b) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2 (VP2); c) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 (VP3); d) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 (VP4) e) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 (VP6); f) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 (VP7); h) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 (NSP1); i) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 (NSP2); j) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 (NSP3); k) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 (NSP4); and 1) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 (NSPS).

In further embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus includes a) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1 (VP1); b) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2 (VP2); c) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 (VP3); d) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 (VP4) e) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 (VP6); f) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 (VP7); h) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 (NSP1); i) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 (NSP2); j) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 (NSP3); k) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 (NSP4); and 1) a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 (NSPS).

The disclosed rotaviruses generally include a nucleic acid molecule, e.g. an RNA, encoding the rotavirus proteins. In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is CDC-6.

Suitable pharmaceutical carriers for use with the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus include those known in the art as being suitable for oral administration, especially to children of less than five years of age, or less than one year of age. Such carriers include and are not limited to carbohydrates, polyalcohols, amino acids, aluminium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, hydroxyapatite, talc, titanium oxide, iron hydroxide, magnesium stearate, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, gelatin, vegetal peptone, xanthane, caraghenane, arabic gum, β-cyclodextrin. Also provided vaccines prepared by freeze drying the virus in the presence of suitable stabilizer. The pharmaceutical compositions can be formulated for systemic administration or local administration. In one embodiment, the pharmaceutical composition is formulated for oral administration. Optionally, an adjuvant can be included. The adjuvant can be an aluminum adjuvant, such as aluminum salt, aluminum phosphate, or aluminum hydroxide. The adjuvant can be a biological molecule, such as an immunostimulatory nucleic acid or a cytokine. Suitable adjuvants are disclosed above.

In some embodiments, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is also inactivated, such as by heat inactivation methods for heat inactivation are disclosed, for example, in PCT Publication No. WO2009/032913, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines can also contain other compounds, which can be biologically active or inactive. For example, one or more immunogenic portions of other antigens can be present, either incorporated into a fusion polypeptide or as a separate compound, within the composition or vaccine. In some embodiments, and additional rotavirus can be included, such as but not limited to, a live or an inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus, such as a heat inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus. As noted above, methods for heat inactivation are disclosed, for example, in PCT Publication No. WO2009/032913. In some embodiments, the present attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is combined with ROTATEQ® or ROTARIX®. In additional embodiments, the present attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is combined with CDC-9, or an variant thereof, see PCT Publication No. WO 2010/132561, which is incorporated herein by reference. The G1P[8] rotavirus, such as CDC-9 can be attenuated and/or inactivated. These pharmaceutical compositions can generally be used for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes. These pharmaceutical compositions can be formulated for oral or parenteral administration.

The inactivated attenuated rotavirus can also be included in pharmaceutical compositions to induce a response to other pathogens, such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B (HBV), polio and/or pneumococcal disease. Thus, it can be included with DTaP, Hib, Hepatitis B, polio, and/or PCV-13, such as multiple vaccine VIS. In some embodiments, the disclosed attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus can be combined with IPV as a bivalent vaccine, or with penta (DT, whole cell pertussis, Hib, hepatitis B virus (HBV)) as a hexavalent vaccine. Optionally, an inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus, such as, but not limited to, CDC-9, can also be included in the composition. The G1P[8] rotavirus can be attenuated and/or inactivated. In some embodiments, these pharmaceutical compositions can be used for prophylactic purposes.

The inactivated attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus can be formulated in lipid-based vehicles such as virosomes or liposomes, in oil in water emulsions or with carrier particles. Alternatively or in addition, immunostimulants, such as those known in the art for oral vaccines may be included in the formulation. Such immunostimulants include bacterial toxins, particularly cholera toxin (CT) in the form of the holotoxin (entire molecule) or the B chain only (CTB) and the heat labile enterotoxin of E. coli (LT). Mutated LTs (mLTs) which are less likely to convert to their active form than the native LT, see PCT Publication No. WO 96/06627, PCT Publication No. WO 93/13202 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,109. These compositions can be formulated for parenteral delivery with or without an adjuvant.

In some embodiments, saponin derivatives can be included such as QS21 and monophosphoryl lipid A, in particular 3-de-O-acylated monophosphoryl lipid A (3D-MPL). Purified saponins for use as oral adjuvants are disclosed in PCT Publication No. WO 98/56415. Saponins and monophosphoryl lipid A can be used, see PCT Publication No. WO 94/00153, and can be formulated in adjuvant systems together with other agents. 3D-MPL is a well-known adjuvant manufactured by Ribi Immunochem, Montana and its manufacture is described in GB 2122204. Vehicles and adjuvants re also disclosed in Vaccine Design, The Subunit and Adjuvant Approach, edited by Powell and Newman, Plenum Press, New York, 1995. These compositions can be formulated for parenteral delivery.

For oral formulations, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus can be formulated with an antacid to minimize inactivation of the vaccine by acid in the stomach. Suitable antacid components include inorganic antacids for example aluminium hydroxide Al(OH)₃ and magnesium hydroxide Mg(OH)₂. Commercially available antacids which are suitable for use include both aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide, which are insoluble in water but can be provided in suspension. Aluminium hydroxide also can be used as an adjuvant. Organic acid carboxylate salts can also be included in the composition. Non-limiting examples are a salt of citric acid such as sodium citrate or potassium citrate. In one non-limiting example, the insoluble inorganic salt, calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) can be utilized. Calcium carbonate is able to associate with a rotavirus and activity is maintained. In addition, sodium bicarbonate can be included.

In some embodiments, to prevent sedimentation of calcium carbonate during the filling step, viscous agents are suitably present in the formulation. Viscous agents include pseudoplastic excipients. A pseudoplastic solution is defined as a solution having higher viscosity on standing compared to its viscosity under agitation. Excipients of this type are natural polymers such as arabic gum, adragante gum, agar-agar, alginates, pectines or semi-synthetic polymers for example: carboxymethylcellulose (TYLOSES®), methylcellulose (METHOCELS A®, VISCOTRANS MC® and TYLOSE MH®) hydroxypropylcellulose (KLUCELS®), and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (METHOCELS E® and K®, VISCONTRANS MPHC®). In general the pseudoplastic excipients is used together with thixotropic agents.

Alternative viscous agents that may be used are pseudoplastic excipients with low flowing capacity. Those polymers, at a sufficient concentration, give rise to a structural fluid arrangement resulting in a high viscosity solution having low flowing capacity on standing. A certain quantity of energy needs to be given to the system to allow flowing and transfer. Agitation can be needed to destroy temporarily the structural fluid arrangement in order to obtain a fluid solution. Examples of such polymers are CARBOPOLS® and xanthan gum.

Thixotropic excipients become a gel structure on standing whilst under agitation they form a fluid solution. Examples of thixotropic excipients are: VEEGUM® (Magnesium-aluminium silicate) and AVICEL RC® (about 89% microcrystalline cellulose and 11% Carboxymethylcellulose Na).

In some embodiments, the pharmaceutical composition includes a viscous agent selected from xanthan gum or starch. The composition can include a combination of calcium carbonate and xanthan gum.

Other components include sugars for example sucrose and/or lactose. The composition can include additional components including for example flavorings (particularly for an oral vaccine) and bacteriostatic agents.

In one suitable embodiment, the pharmaceutical composition is administered as a liquid formulation. Suitably the liquid formulation is reconstituted prior to administration from at least the following two components: i) virus component ii) liquid component. In this embodiment, the virus component and the liquid component are normally present in separate containers, which may conveniently be separate compartments of a single vessel, or separate vessels which can be connected in such a way that the final vaccine composition is reconstituted without exposing it to the air.

Prior to reconstitution, the virus can be in a dry form or a liquid form. Suitably the virus component is lyophilized Lyophilized virus can be more stable than virus in an aqueous solution. The lyophilized virus may be suitably reconstituted using a liquid antacid composition to produce a liquid vaccine formulation. Alternatively the lyophilized virus may be reconstituted with water or aqueous solution, in which case the lyophilized virus composition can contain an antacid component. In some embodiments, the virus component is formulated with calcium carbonate and xanthane gum in one compartment or vessel and this is reconstituted with water or aqueous solution present in the second compartment or vessel. In another embodiment, the composition is a solid formulation, suitably a lyophilized cake which is suitable for immediate dissolution when placed in the mouth.

Lyophilized formulations may conveniently be provided in the form of tablets in a pharmaceutical blister pack. An attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus can be provided in the form of a quick dissolving tablet for oral administration. Thus the composition can include a live attenuated rotavirus strain, in particular an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus strain, wherein the composition is a lyophilized solid capable of immediate dissolution when placed in the mouth. The rotavirus can be provided in a quick dissolving tablet that dissolves in the mouth of the subject sufficiently quickly to prevent swallowing of the undissolved tablet. This approach is particularly advantageous for pediatric rotavirus vaccines.

Thus, formulations suitable for oral administration can include or consists of (a) liquid solutions, such as an effective amount suspended in diluents, such as water, saline or PEG 400; (b) capsules, sachets or tablets, each containing a predetermined amount of the active ingredient, as liquids, solids, granules or gelatin; (c) suspensions in an appropriate liquid; and (d) suitable emulsions. Tablet forms can include one or more of lactose, sucrose, mannitol, sorbitol, calcium phosphates, corn starch, potato starch, microcrystalline cellulose, gelatin, colloidal silicon dioxide, talc, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, and other excipients, colorants, fillers, binders, diluents, buffering agents, moistening agents, preservatives, flavoring agents, dyes, disintegrating agents, and pharmaceutically compatible carriers. Lozenge forms can comprise the active ingredient in a flavor, e.g., sucrose, as well as pastilles comprising the active ingredient in an inert base, such as gelatin and glycerin or sucrose and acacia emulsions, gels, and the like containing, in addition to the active ingredient, carriers known in the art.

Aerosol formulations (i.e., they can be “nebulized”) can be administered via inhalation. Aerosol formulations can be placed into pressurized acceptable propellants, such as dichlorodifluoromethane, propane, nitrogen, and the like.

Formulations suitable for parenteral administration, for example, by intraarticular (in the joints), intravenous, intramuscular, intradermal, intraperitoneal, and subcutaneous routes, include aqueous and non-aqueous, isotonic sterile injection solutions, which can contain antioxidants, buffers, bacteriostats, and solutes that render the formulation isotonic with the blood of the intended recipient, and aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions that can include suspending agents, solubilizers, thickening agents, stabilizers, and preservatives. Compositions can be administered, for example, by intravenous infusion, inhalation, parenterally, orally, topically, intradermally, intraperitoneally, intravenously, intravesically, rectally or intrathecally. The formulations can be presented in unit-dose or multi-dose sealed containers, such as ampules and vials. Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers are determined in part by the particular composition being administered (e.g., nucleic acid, protein, modulatory compounds or transduced cell), as well as by the particular method used to administer the composition. Accordingly, there are a wide variety of suitable formulations of pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention (see, e.g., Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 17^(th) ed., 1989).

For any route of administration, the compositions can include buffers (e.g., neutral buffered saline or phosphate buffered saline), carbohydrates (e.g., glucose, mannose, sucrose or dextrans), mannitol, proteins, polypeptides or amino acids such as glycine, antioxidants, bacteriostats, chelating agents such as EDTA or glutathione, adjuvants (e.g., aluminum hydroxide), solutes that render the formulation isotonic, hypotonic or weakly hypertonic with the blood of a recipient, suspending agents, thickening agents and/or preservatives. Alternatively, compositions of the present invention can be formulated as a lyophilizate.

Injection solutions and suspensions can be prepared from sterile powders, granules, and tablets of the kind previously described. The disclosed compositions can be administered parenterally.

The dose administered to a subject should be sufficient to affect a beneficial immune response in the subject. The dose will be determined by the efficacy of the particular composition employed and the condition of the subject, as well as the body weight or surface area of the subject to be treated. The size of the dose also will be determined by the existence, nature, and extent of any adverse side-effects that accompany the administration of a particular vector, or transduced cell type in a particular patient. Administration can be accomplished via single or divided doses.

Immunogenic compositions such as vaccines can be formulated and administered by known techniques, using a suitable amount of live virus to provide effective protection against rotavirus infection without significant adverse side effects in typical vaccines. A suitable amount of live virus can be between 10⁴ and 10⁸ focus forming units (ffu), such as between 10⁴ and 10⁷ per dose. A typical dose of vaccine may comprise 10⁵-10⁶ ffu per dose and may be given in several doses over a period of time, for example in two doses given with a two-month interval. Thus, the composition can be given in a prime boost strategy. Benefits may however be obtained by having more than 2 doses, for example a 3 or 4 dose regimen, particularly in developing countries. The interval between doses may be more or less than two months long. An optimal amount of live virus for a single dose compositions, or for multiple dose kits, and optimal timing for the doses, can be ascertained by standard studies involving observation of antibody titers and other responses in subjects.

Methods for Inducing an Immune Response

Methods are disclosed herein for inducing an immune response to a rotavirus. The methods include administering a pharmaceutical composition as disclosed herein. The administration of the immunogenic compositions can be for either prophylactic or therapeutic purpose. When provided prophylactically, the immunogenic composition is provided in advance of any symptom, for example in advance of infection with a rotavirus. The prophylactic administration of the immunogenic compositions serves to prevent or ameliorate any subsequent infection. The immunogenic composition can thus be provided prior to the anticipated exposure to rotavirus so as to attenuate the anticipated severity, duration or extent of an infection and/or associated disease symptoms, after exposure or suspected exposure to the virus, or after the actual initiation of an infection. Thus, the methods can induce a protective immune response. In some embodiments, a therapeutically effective amount can decrease or eliminate symptoms, such as diarrhea, from a subsequent exposure to a rotavirus.

A subject can be selected for treatment that has, or is at risk for developing rotavirus infection, for example because of exposure or the possibility of exposure to a rotavirus. Following administration of a disclosed immunogen, the subject can be monitored for rotaviral infection or symptoms associated therewith, or both.

When provided therapeutically, the immunogenic composition is provided at or after the onset of a symptom of disease or infection, for example after development of a symptom of a rotavirus infection, or after diagnosis of a rotavirus infection. A therapeutically effective amount of the disclosed immunogenic compositions is that which provides either subjective relief of a symptom(s) or an objectively identifiable improvement as noted by the clinician or other qualified observer.

The subject can be any subject of interest, such as a human or a veterinary subject. In some embodiments, the subject does not have a rotavirus infection, such as a healthy subject. In some non-limiting examples, the subject is a human, such as a human child. The human child can be less than 5 years of age, such as less than one year of age. In some non-limiting examples, vaccination can occur at birth, about 1 to 2 months of age, about 4 months of age, about 6 months of age, from about 6 months to 18 months of age, from 12 to 15 months of age. In some embodiments, two to three doses are administered before six months of age. Optionally, one or more boost doses between six and 18 months of age is also administered. Thus, several administration to a child (infant) is contemplated.

Any route of administration can be utilized as set forth above. In a specific non-limiting example, the pharmaceutical composition is administered parenterally or orally.

In particular embodiments, the composition includes least two rotavirus strains. The two or more rotavirus strains each independently have a G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7, G8, G9, G10, G11, G12, G13 or G14 G serotype. Thus, for example, at least one of CDC-6 is present in a composition along with at least a second human rotavirus strain which has a G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7, G8, G9, G10, G11, G12, G13 or G14G serotype. Each of the at least two rotavirus strains included in a composition has a P serotype which is P1A, P1B, P2A, P3, P4, P5, P6, P8, P11, or P12 in particular embodiments. A composition for enhancing immunological protection against a rotavirus-mediated disease in a subject includes a first human rotavirus strain characterized as having a G9 serotype and a second human rotavirus strain characterized as having a G1 serotype in particular embodiments of the composition. Each of the two rotavirus strains independently has a P group serotype, wherein the G9 virus has a P6 serotype and the other rotavirus can be a P1A, P1B, P2A, P3, P4, P5, P6, P8, P11 or P12 serotype.

In some embodiments, an attenuated or inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus is also administered to the subject. In some embodiments, the present attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is administered with ROTATEQ®, ROTARIX®, or a CDC-9 or CDC-66 rotavirus (see PCT Publication No. WO 2010/132561, incorporated herein by reference), either simultaneously or sequentially. Provided are pharmaceutical compositions including an attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus as disclosed herein, and at least one of CDC-9 or CDC-66. Optionally, the attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is also inactivated. The G9P[6] rotavirus can be CDC-6. These compositions can be formulated for oral or parenteral administration. CDC-9 and CDC-66 are disclosed, for example, in published U.S. Patent No. 2012/0121629, incorporated herein by reference.

The choice of live attenuated rotavirus or inactivated rotavirus depends on factors such as route of vaccine composition administration. In a particular embodiment, the composition includes a human rotavirus A strain CDC-9, and/or CDC-66, one or more rotavirus A CDC-9, and/or CDC-66 polypeptides and/or an immunogenic fragment of one or more rotavirus A CDC-9, and/or CDC-66 polypeptides. In some embodiments, inactivated CDC-9 and an inactivated G9P[6] are included and the composition is formulated for parenteral administration. This composition can include an adjuvant. In a specific non-limiting example, the G9P[6] rotavirus is CDC-6.

Administration induces a sufficient immune response to treat or prevent the pathogenic infection, for example, to inhibit the infection and/or reduce the signs and/or symptoms of the rotavirus such as diarrhea. Amounts effective for this use will depend upon the severity of the disease, the general state of the subject's health, and the robustness of the subject's immune system.

For prophylactic and therapeutic purposes, the immunogenic composition can be administered to the subject in a single bolus delivery, via continuous delivery (for example, continuous transdermal, mucosal or intravenous delivery) over an extended time period, or in a repeated administration protocol (for example, by an hourly, daily or weekly, repeated administration protocol). The therapeutically effective dosage of the immunogenic composition can be provided as repeated doses within a prolonged prophylaxis or treatment regimen that will yield clinically significant results to alleviate one or more symptoms or detectable conditions associated with a rotavirus infection. Determination of effective dosages in this context is typically based on animal model studies followed up by human clinical trials and is guided by administration protocols that significantly reduce the occurrence or severity of targeted disease symptoms or conditions in the subject. Suitable models in this regard include, for example, murine, rat, porcine, feline, ferret, non-human primate, and other accepted animal model subjects known in the art. Alternatively, effective dosages can be determined using in vitro models (for example, immunologic and histopathologic assays). Using such models, only ordinary calculations and adjustments are required to determine an appropriate concentration and dose to administer a therapeutically effective amount of the immunogenic composition (for example, amounts that are effective to elicit a desired immune response or alleviate one or more symptoms of a targeted disease). In alternative embodiments, an effective amount or effective dose of the immunogenic composition may inhibit or enhance one or more selected biological activities.

In one embodiment, a suitable immunization regimen includes at least two or three separate inoculations with one or more immunogenic compositions, with a second inoculation being administered more than about two, about three to eight, or about four, weeks following the first inoculation, or about 2, about 4, about 6, about 8, about 10 or about 12 months following a first inoculation. A third inoculation can be administered months after the second inoculation, such as one to two months, and in specific embodiments, more than about five months after the first inoculation, more than about six months to about two years after the first inoculation, or about eight months to about one year after the first inoculation. Periodic inoculations beyond the third also can be used to enhance the subject's “immune memory.” These inoculations can be given to older children or adults.

The adequacy of the vaccination parameters chosen, e.g., formulation, dose, regimen and the like, can be determined by taking aliquots of serum from the subject and assaying antibody titers during the course of the immunization program. If such monitoring indicates that vaccination is sub-optimal, the subject can be boosted with an additional dose of immunogenic composition, and the vaccination parameters can be modified in a fashion expected to potentiate the immune response. It is contemplated that there can be several boosts.

For prime-boost protocols, the prime can be administered as a single dose or multiple doses, for example two doses, three doses, four doses, five doses, six doses or more can be administered to a subject over days, weeks or months. The boost can be administered as a single dose or multiple doses, for example two to six doses, or more can be administered to a subject over a day, a week or months. Multiple boosts can also be given, such one to five, or more. Different dosages can be used in a series of sequential inoculations. For example a relatively large dose in a primary inoculation and then a boost with relatively smaller doses. The immune response against the selected antigenic surface can be generated by one or more inoculations of a subject with an immunogenic composition disclosed herein.

In some embodiments, the administration results in cross-protection. Cross-protection can be homotypic or heterotypic. Homotypic cross-protection is a protection afforded by a rotavirus strain against a strain of either a G or a P type, such as for example a G9P[6] strain affording cross-protection against a non-G9, P[6] strain (e.g. G2P[6]) via the P[6] type. Another example of a homotypic cross-protection is that afforded by a G9P[6] strain against a G9 non-P[6] strain (e.g. G9P[4]) via the G1 type. Heterotypic cross-protection is a protection afforded by a rotavirus strain against a rotavirus strain of different P and G types such as for example the protection afforded by a G9P[6] against a non G9-non P[6]-strain (e.g. G1P[8]) (heterotypic protection afforded via both G and P types). In some embodiments, the attenuated rotavirus serotype is G9 and is able to provide cross protection against disease caused by G9 and non-G9 rotavirus serotypes such as serotypes selected from the group consisting of: G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7, G8, G10, G11, G12, G13 and G14. In additional embodiments, the rotavirus attenuated strain type is P[6] and is able to provide cross-protection against disease caused by P[6] rotavirus type and by non-P[6] rotavirus types such as types selected from the group consisting of: P[1], P[2], P[3], P[4], P[5], P[7], P[8], P[9], P[10], P[11], P[12], P[14] and P[19].

Immunity can be measured, for example, by neutralizing antibody responses to the pharmaceutical composition or by serum rotavirus IgA antibody response, such as seroconversion factor (i.e. 23-fold increase in serum antibody IgA levels following vaccination, as described in Ward et al., 1990, J. Infect. Disease, 161, 440-445). In most instances it will be sufficient to assess the antibody titer in serum or plasma obtained from the subject. Decisions as to whether to administer booster inoculations and/or to change the amount of the therapeutic agent administered to the individual can be at least partially based on the antibody titer level.

Determination of effective dosages is typically based on animal model studies followed up by human clinical trials and is guided by administration protocols that significantly reduce the occurrence or severity of targeted disease symptoms or conditions in the subject, or that induce a desired response in the subject (such as a neutralizing immune response). Suitable models in this regard include, for example, mouse, pig, non-human primate, and other accepted animal model subjects known in the art (see below). Using such models, only ordinary calculations and adjustments are required to determine an appropriate concentration and dose to administer a therapeutically effective amount of the composition (for example, amounts that are effective to elicit a desired immune response or alleviate one or more symptoms).

Methods are disclosed herein for inducing an immune response to more than one pathogen. In some embodiments, and additional rotavirus can be included in the pharmaceutical composition. The additional rotavirus can be, but is not limited to, a live or an inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus, such as a heat inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus. As noted above, methods for heat inactivation are disclosed, for example, in PCT Publication No. WO2009/032913. In some embodiments, the present attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is combined with ROTATEQ® or ROTARIX® and used to induce an immune response in a subject. In additional embodiments, the present attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus is combined with CDC-9, or an variant thereof, see PCT Publication No. WO 2010/132561, which is incorporated herein by reference, and used to induce an immune response in a subject. The G1P[8] rotavirus, such as CDC-9 can be attenuated and/or inactivated and administered to the subject. These pharmaceutical compositions can generally be used for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes. In some embodiments, the composition is administered orally or parenterally to the subject.

The inactivated attenuated rotavirus can also be included in pharmaceutical compositions to and used to induce a response to different pathogens, such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type hepatitis B (HBV), polio and/or pneumococcal disease. Thus, it can be administered with DTaP, Hib, Hepatitis B, polio, and/or PCV-13, such as multiple vaccine VIS. In some embodiments, the disclosed attenuated G9P[6] rotavirus can be combined with IPV as a bivalent vaccine, or with penta (DT, acellular or whole cell pertussis, Hib, hepatitis B virus (HBV)) as a hexavalent vaccine, and used to induce an immune response in a subject. Optionally, an inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus, such as, but not limited to, CDC-9, can also be included in the composition and administered to a subject. The G1P[8] rotavirus can be attenuated and/or inactivated. In some embodiments, a multivaccine includes with penta (DT, acellular or whole cell pertussis, Hib, hepatitis B virus (HBV)), a G1P[8] rotavirus, and a G9P[6] rotavirus, such as CDC-6. In further embodiments, a multivaccine includes with penta (DT, acellular or whole cell pertussis, Hib, hepatitis B virus (HBV)), CDC-9 and/or CDC66, and a G9P[6] rotavirus, such as CDC-6. In some embodiments, these pharmaceutical compositions can be used for prophylactic purposes. In some embodiments, the composition is administered orally or parenterally to the subject.

Nucleic Acid Molecules and Polypeptides

Isolated nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides are also provided herein. These isolated nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides can also be included in pharmaceutical compositions and used in the methods disclosed above. One or more polypeptides, or one or more polynucleotides, can be included in a pharmaceutical composition.

In some embodiments, a VP1 polypeptide is provided that includes an amino acid sequence at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1. In a specific non-limiting example, the VP1 polypeptide includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1. In other embodiments, a VP2 polypeptide is provided that includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2. In other embodiments, a VP3 polypeptide is provided that includes an amino acid sequence at least about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3. In a specific non-limiting example, the VP3 polypeptide includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3. In other embodiments, a VP4 polypeptide is provided that includes an amino acid sequence at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4. In a specific non-limiting example, the VP4 polypeptide includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4. In other embodiments, the a VP6 polypeptide is provided that includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5. In other embodiments, a VP7 polypeptide is provided that includes an amino acid sequence at least about 98.9% identical, at least about 99.0% identical, at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6. In a specific non-limiting example, the VP7 polypeptide includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6. One or more of these polypeptides, or immunogenic fragments thereof, can be included in a pharmaceutical composition. In specific non-limiting examples, the composition includes VP4, VP7, or both VP4 and VP7. Also provided are polypeptides that include at most 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 conservative amino acid substitutions in the amino acid sequences set forth as SEQ ID NOs: 1-6.

In other embodiments, a NSP1 polypeptide is provided that includes an amino acid sequence at least about 98.9% identical, at least about 99.0% identical, at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7. In a specific non-limiting example, the NSP1 polypeptide includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7. In other embodiments, a NSP2 polypeptide is provided that includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8. In other embodiments, a NSP3 polypeptide is provided that includes or consists of an amino acid sequence at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9. In a specific non-limiting example, the NSP3 polypeptide includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9. In other embodiments, a NSP4 polypeptide is provided that includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10. In other embodiments, a NSPS polypeptide is provided that includes an amino acid sequence at least about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11. In a specific non-limiting example, the VP3 polypeptide includes or consists of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11. Also provided are polypeptides that include at most 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 conservative amino acid substitutions in the amino acid sequences set forth as SEQ ID NOs: 7-11.

One or more of these polypeptides, or fragments thereof, can be included in a pharmaceutical composition.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed encoding a VP1 polypeptide including an amino acid sequence at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule encodes a VP1 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1. In additional embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule is at least about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule includes or consists of the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed encoding a VP2 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2. In additional embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule is at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13. In a specific non-limiting example, embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule includes or consists of the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed encoding a VP3 polypeptide is disclosed that includes an amino acid sequence at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP3 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3. In additional embodiments, the nucleic acid sequence is at least about 99.4% identical, about 99.5% identical, about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule includes or consists of the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed that encodes a VP4 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a VP4 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4. In additional embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, about 99.5% identical, about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule includes or consists of the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed encoding a VP6 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5. In additional embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. In a specific non-limiting example, embodiments, the rotavirus includes or consists of the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed encoding a VP7 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 98.9% identical, at least about 99.0% identical, at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule encodes a VP7 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6. In additional embodiments, nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.4% identical, about 99.5% identical, about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule includes or consists of the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed encoding a NSP1 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 98.9% identical, at least about 99.0% identical, at least about 99.1% identical, at least about 99.2% identical, at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSP1 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7. In additional embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleic acid sequence at least about at least about 99.2% identical, at least 99.3% identical, at least 99.4% identical, about 99.5% identical, about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule includes or consists of the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed encoding a NSP2 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8. In additional embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule includes a NSP2 nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19. In a specific non-limiting example, embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule includes or consists of the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed encoding a NSP3 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 (NSP3). In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule include a nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSP3 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9. In additional embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.3% identical, at least about 99.4% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule includes or consists of the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed encoding a NSP4 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10. In additional embodiments, nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.2% identical, at least 99.3% identical, at least 99.4% identical, about 99.5% identical, about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21. In some embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule includes or consist of the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21.

In some embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule is disclosed encoding a NSPS polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 99.6% identical, at least 99.7% identical, at least 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11. In a specific non-limiting example, the nucleic acid molecule includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a NSPS polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11. In additional embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule includes a NSPS nucleic acid sequence at least about 99.6% identical, about 99.7% identical, at least about 99.8% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical, to the nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22. In a specific non-limiting example, the rotavirus includes or consists of the nucleic sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22.

One or more of these polynucleotides, or vectors including one or more of these nucleic acid molecules (e.g., DNA or RNA), can be included in a pharmaceutical composition. In specific non-limiting examples, the polynucleotides in the composition encode VP4, VP7, or both VP4 and VP7.

Vectors comprising any of the nucleic acid molecules disclosed herein, or encoding the proteins and peptides disclosed herein, are provided by the present disclosure, and can be used to transform cells. The vector can be any suitable vector, such as a plasmid vector or a viral vector. In some embodiments, the vector comprises a promoter, an origin of replication and/or a selectable marker. The vector can also encode a reporter. In some examples, the nucleic acid molecule of the vector is operably linked to a promoter. Exemplary promoters include viral promoters, such as cytomegalovirus immediate early gene promoter (“CMV”), herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (“tk”), SV40 early transcription unit, polyoma, retroviruses, papilloma virus, hepatitis B virus, and human and simian immunodeficiency viruses. Other promoters are isolated from mammalian genes, including the immunoglobulin heavy chain, immunoglobulin light chain, T-cell receptor, HLA DQ α and DQ β, β-interferon, interleukin-2, interleukin-2 receptor, MHC class II, HLA-DRα, β-actin, muscle creatine kinase, prealbumin (transthyretin), elastase I, metallothionein, collagenase, albumin, fetoprotein, β-globin, c-fos, c-HA-ras, insulin, neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), al-antitrypsin, H2B (TH2B) histone, type I collagen, glucose-regulated proteins (GRP94 and GRP78), rat growth hormone, human serum amyloid A (SAA), troponin I (TNI), platelet-derived growth factor, and dystrophin, dendritic cell-specific promoters, such as CD11c, macrophage-specific promoters, such as CD68, Langerhans cell-specific promoters, such as Langerin, and promoters specific for keratinocytes, and epithelial cells of the skin and lung.

In some embodiments, the promoter is inducible. An inducible promoter is a promoter which is inactive or exhibits low activity except in the presence of an inducer substance. Examples of inducible promoters include, but are not limited to, MT II, MMTV, collagenase, stromelysin, SV40, murine MX gene, α-2-macroglobulin, MHC class I gene h-2 kb, HSP70, proliferin, tumor necrosis factor, or thyroid stimulating hormone gene promoter. In other embodiments, the promoter is a constitutive promoter that results in high levels of transcription upon introduction into a host cell in the absence of additional factors. Optionally, the transcription control sequences include one or more enhancer elements, which are binding recognition sites for one or more transcription factors that increase transcription above that observed for the minimal promoter alone.

It may be desirable to include a polyadenylation signal to effect proper termination and polyadenylation of the gene transcript. Exemplary polyadenylation signals have been isolated from bovine growth hormone, SV40 and the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase genes. Any of these or other polyadenylation signals can be utilized in the context of the adenovirus vectors described herein.

The vector can be, for example, a viral vector. A number of viral vectors have been constructed, including polyoma, SV40 (Madzak et al., 1992, J. Gen. Virol., 73:15331536), adenovirus (Berkner, 1992, Cur. Top. Microbiol. Immunol., 158:39-6; Berliner et al., 1988, Bio Techniques, 6:616-629; Gorziglia et al., 1992, J. Virol., 66:4407-4412; Quantin et al., 1992, Proc. Nad. Acad. Sci. USA, 89:2581-2584; Rosenfeld et al., 1992, Cell, 68:143-155; Wilkinson et al., 1992, Nucl. Acids Res., 20:2233-2239; Stratford-Perricaudet et al., 1990, Hum. Gene Ther., 1:241-256), vaccinia virus (Mackett et al., 1992, Biotechnology, 24:495-499), adeno-associated virus (Muzyczka, 1992, Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol., 158:91-123; On et al., 1990, Gene, 89:279-282), herpes viruses including HSV and EBV (Margolskee, 1992, Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol., 158:67-90; Johnson et al., 1992, J. Virol., 66:29522965; Fink et al., 1992, Hum. Gene Ther. 3:11-19; Breakfield et al., 1987, Mol. Neurobiol., 1:337-371; Fresse et al., 1990, Biochem. Pharmacol., 40:2189-2199), Sindbis viruses (H. Herweijer et al., 1995, Human Gene Therapy 6:1161-1167; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,091,309 and 5,2217,879), alphaviruses (S. Schlesinger, 1993, Trends Biotechnol. 11:18-22; I. Frolov et al., 1996, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:11371-11377) and retroviruses of avian (Brandyopadhyay et al., 1984, Mol. Cell Biol., 4:749-754; Petropouplos et al., 1992, J. Virol., 66:3391-3397), murine (Miller, 1992, Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol., 158:1-24; Miller et al., 1985, Mol. Cell Biol., 5:431-437; Sorge et al., 1984, Mol. Cell Biol., 4:1730-1737; Mann et al., 1985, J. Virol., 54:401-407), and human origin (Page et al., 1990, J. Virol., 64:5370-5276; Buchschalcher et al., 1992, J. Virol., 66:2731-2739). Baculovirus (Autographa californica multinuclear polyhedrosis virus; AcMNPV) vectors are also known in the art, and may be obtained from commercial sources (such as PharMingen, San Diego, Calif.; Protein Sciences Corp., Meriden, Conn.; Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.).

Also provided are host cells including these vectors. The host cell can be a eukaryotic cell or a prokaryotic cell. Non-limiting examples of suitable host cells include bacteria, archea, insect, fungi (for example, yeast), plant, and animal cells (for example, mammalian cells, such as human). Exemplary cells of use include Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Salmonella typhimurium, SF9 cells, C129 cells, 293 cells, Neurospora, and immortalized mammalian myeloid and lymphoid cell lines. Techniques for the propagation of mammalian cells in culture are well-known (see, Jakoby and Pastan (eds), 1979, Cell Culture. Methods in Enzymology, volume 58, Academic Press, Inc., Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, N.Y.). Examples of commonly used mammalian host cell lines are VERO and HeLa cells, CHO cells, and WI38, BHK, and COS cell lines, although cell lines may be used, such as cells designed to provide higher expression desirable glycosylation patterns, or other features. Techniques for the transformation of yeast cells, such as polyethylene glycol transformation, protoplast transformation and gene guns are also known in the art (see Gietz and Woods Methods in Enzymology 350: 87-96, 2002).

Transformation of a host cell with recombinant DNA can be carried out by conventional techniques as are well known to those skilled in the art. Where the host is prokaryotic, such as, but not limited to, E. coli, competent cells which are capable of DNA uptake can be prepared from cells harvested after exponential growth phase and subsequently treated by the CaCl₂ method using procedures well known in the art. Alternatively, MgCl₂ or RbCl can be used. Transformation can also be performed after forming a protoplast of the host cell if desired, or by electroporation. When the host is a eukaryote, such methods of transfection of DNA as calcium phosphate coprecipitates, conventional mechanical procedures such as microinjection, electroporation, insertion of a plasmid encased in liposomes, or virus vectors can be used.

A number of procedures can be employed when recombinant protein is being purified, such as from a host cell. For example, proteins having established molecular adhesion properties can be reversible fused to the protein. With the appropriate ligand or substrate, a specific protein can be selectively adsorbed to a purification column and then freed from the column in a relatively pure form. The fused protein is then removed by enzymatic activity. Finally, protein could be purified using immunoaffinity columns. Recombinant protein can be purified from any suitable source, include yeast, insect, bacterial, and mammalian cells.

Recombinant proteins can be expressed from recombinant nucleic acids, such as from plasmids, and purified by transformed bacteria in large amounts, typically after promoter induction; but expression can be constitutive. Promoter induction with IPTG is one example of an inducible promoter system. Bacteria are grown according to standard procedures in the art. Fresh or frozen bacteria cells are used for isolation of protein.

Proteins expressed in bacteria can form insoluble aggregates (“inclusion bodies”). Several protocols are suitable for purification of protein inclusion bodies. For example, purification of inclusion bodies typically involves the extraction, separation and/or purification of inclusion bodies by disruption of bacterial cells, e.g., by incubation in a buffer of 50 mM TRIS/HCL pH 7.5, 50 mM NaCl, 5 mM MgCl₂, 1 mM DTT, 0.1 mM ATP, and 1 mM PMSF. The cell suspension can be lysed using 2-3 passages through a French Press, homogenized using a homignizer, such as Polytron (Brinkman Instruments) or sonicated on ice. Alternate methods of lysing bacteria are apparent to those of skill in the art (see, e.g., Sambrook et al., supra; Ausubel et al., supra).

If necessary, the inclusion bodies are solubilized, and the lysed cell suspension is typically centrifuged to remove unwanted insoluble matter. Proteins that formed the inclusion bodies can be renatured by dilution or dialysis with a compatible buffer. Suitable solvents include, but are not limited to urea (from about 4 M to about 8 M), formamide (at least about 80%, volume/volume basis), and guanidine hydrochloride (from about 4 M to about 8 M). Some solvents which are capable of solubilizing aggregate-forming proteins, for example SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate), 70% formic acid, are inappropriate for use in this procedure due to the possibility of irreversible denaturation of the proteins, accompanied by a lack of immunogenicity and/or activity. Although guanidine hydrochloride and similar agents are denaturants, this denaturation is not irreversible and renaturation can occur upon removal (by dialysis, for example) or dilution of the denaturant, allowing re-formation of immunologically and/or biologically active protein. Other suitable buffers are known to those skilled in the art. Human proteins are separated from other bacterial proteins by standard separation techniques, e.g., with Ni-NTA agarose resin.

Alternatively, it is possible to purify recombinant protein from bacteria periplasm. After lysis of the bacteria, the periplasmic fraction of the bacteria can be isolated by cold osmotic shock in addition to other methods known to skill in the art. To isolate recombinant proteins from the periplasm, the bacterial cells are centrifuged to form a pellet. The pellet is resuspended in a buffer containing 20% sucrose. To lyse the cells, the bacteria are centrifuged and the pellet is resuspended in ice-cold 5 mM MgSO4 and kept in an ice bath for approximately 10 minutes. The cell suspension is centrifuged and the supernatant decanted and saved. The recombinant proteins present in the supernatant can be separated from the host proteins by standard separation techniques well known to those of skill in the art.

Solubility fractionation can be used as a standard protein separation technique for purifying proteins. As an initial step, particularly if the protein mixture is complex, an initial salt fractionation can separate many of the unwanted host cell proteins (or proteins derived from the cell culture media) from the recombinant protein of interest. The preferred salt is ammonium sulfate Ammonium sulfate precipitates proteins by effectively reducing the amount of water in the protein mixture. Proteins then precipitate on the basis of their solubility. The more hydrophobic a protein is, the more likely it is to precipitate at lower ammonium sulfate concentrations. A typical protocol includes adding saturated ammonium sulfate to a protein solution so that the resultant ammonium sulfate concentration is between 20-30%. This concentration will precipitate the most hydrophobic of proteins. The precipitate is then discarded (unless the protein of interest is hydrophobic) and ammonium sulfate is added to the supernatant to a concentration known to precipitate the protein of interest. The precipitate is then solubilized in buffer and the excess salt removed if necessary, either through dialysis or diafiltration. Other methods that rely on solubility of proteins, such as cold ethanol precipitation, are well known to those of skill in the art and can be used to fractionate complex protein mixtures.

The molecular weight of the protein can be used to isolate it from proteins of greater and lesser size using ultrafiltration through membranes of different pore size (for example, Amicon or Millipore membranes). As a first step, the protein mixture is ultrafiltered through a membrane with a pore size that has a lower molecular weight cut-off than the molecular weight of the protein of interest. The retentate of the ultrafiltration is then ultrafiltered against a membrane with a molecular cut off greater than the molecular weight of the protein of interest. The recombinant protein will pass through the membrane into the filtrate. The filtrate can then be chromatographed as described below.

The protein can also be separated from other proteins on the basis of its size, net surface charge, hydrophobicity, and affinity for ligands or substrates using column chromatography. In addition, antibodies raised against proteins can be conjugated to column matrices and the proteins immunopurified. All of these methods are well known in the art. It will be apparent to one of skill that chromatographic techniques can be performed at any scale and using equipment from many different manufacturers (e.g., Pharmacia Biotech).

Any of the disclosed polypeptides, polynucleotides, and recombinant can be used in immunogenic compositions to elicit an immune response, such as to provide protection against infection by a rotavirus. Thus, the compositions disclosed herein can be used prophylactically or therapeutically. The compositions can be used to produce an immune response in a healthy subject or a subject infected with a rotavirus. The immunogenic composition optionally includes an adjuvant. The disclosed polypeptide or polynucleotides can be included in pharmaceutical compositions, such as those disclosed above.

Further provided is a method of eliciting an immune response to rotavirus in a subject by administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a disclosed polypeptide, or nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide, or an immunogenic composition as disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the subject is administered the recombinant polypeptide, polypeptide or immunogenic composition prophylactically to prevent infection by a rotavirus. In other cases, the disclosed compositions can be used for treating an existing rotavirus infection. Methods for administering immunogenic compositions are disclosed above.

Nucleic acid vaccines encoding a G9P[6] polypeptide, as disclosed herein, can be used to elicit an immune response to treat or prevent a rotavirus infection. Numerous gene delivery techniques are well known in the art, such as those described by Rolland (1998) Crit. Rev. Therap. Drug Carrier Systems 15:143-198, and references cited therein. Appropriate nucleic acid expression systems contain the necessary DNA sequences for expression in the patient (such as a suitable promoter and terminating signal). In a preferred embodiment, the DNA can be introduced using a viral expression system (e.g., vaccinia, pox virus, retrovirus, or adenovirus), which can involve the use of a non-pathogenic (defective), replication competent virus. Suitable systems are disclosed, for example, in Fisher-Hoch et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:317-321; Flexner et al. (1989) Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 569:86-103; Flexner et al. (1990) Vaccine 8:17-21; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,603,112, 4,769,330, 4,777,127 and 5,017,487; PCT Publication No. WO 89/01973; Great Britain Publication No. 2,200,651; European Publication No. 0,345,242; PCT Publication No. WO 91/02805; Berkner (1988) Biotechniques 6:616-627; Rosenfeld et al. (1991) Science 252:431-434; Kolls et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:215-219; Kass-Eisler et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:11498-11502; Guzman et al. (1993) Circulation 88:2838-2848; and Guzman et al. (1993) Cir. Res. 73:1202-1207. Techniques for incorporating DNA into such expression systems are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The DNA can also be “naked,” as described, for example, in Ulmer et al. (1993) Science 259:1745-1749 and reviewed by Cohen (1993) Science 259:1691-1692. The uptake of naked DNA can be increased by coating the DNA onto biodegradable beads, which are efficiently transported into the cells. It will be apparent that a vaccine can comprise both a polynucleotide and a polypeptide component. Such vaccines can provide for an enhanced immune response.

Vaccine preparation is generally described in, for example, Powell and Newman, eds., Vaccine Design (the subunit and adjuvant approach), Plenum Press (NY, 1995). Vaccines can be designed to generate antibody immunity and/or cellular immunity such as that arising from CTL or CD4+ T cells.

A non-specific immune response enhancer can be any substance that enhances an immune response to an exogenous antigen. Examples of non-specific immune response enhancers include adjuvants, biodegradable microspheres (e.g., polylactic galactide) and liposomes (into which the compound is incorporated; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,877). Most adjuvants contain a substance designed to protect the antigen from rapid catabolism, such as aluminum hydroxide or mineral oil, and a stimulator of immune responses, such as lipid A, Bortadella pertussis or Mycobacterium tuberculosis derived proteins. Suitable adjuvants are commercially available as, for example, Freund's Incomplete Adjuvant and Complete Adjuvant (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Mich.); Merck Adjuvant 65 (Merck and Company, Inc., Rahway, N.J.); AS-2 (SmithKline Beecham); aluminum salts such as aluminum hydroxide gel (alum) or aluminum phosphate; salts of calcium, iron or zinc; an insoluble suspension of acylated tyrosine; acylated sugars; cationically or anionically derivatized polysaccharides; polyphosphazenes; biodegradable microspheres; monophosphoryl lipid A and quil A. Cytokines, such as GM-CSF or IL-2, -7, or -12, can also be used as adjuvants. These are of use in inducing an immune response and can be included in the disclosed compositions.

The disclosure is illustrated by the following non-limiting Examples.

EXAMPLES

Currently licensed monovalent human rotavirus vaccine ROTARIX® (G1P[8]) has showed broad cross-reactive immunity and cross protection against homotypic Wa-like and heterotypic DS-1 like strains among children worldwide. However, this vaccine appears to confer lower efficacy against DS-1 like strains in some regions, a lingering question whether a second strain is needed to provide full protection against all strains. However, DS-1 like strains usually have fastidious growth in cell culture, making it difficult to develop a low cost vaccine. In addition, recent data that some infants with certain histo-blood group antigens (Lewis-negative) who received rotavirus vaccines are still susceptible to P6 rotavirus strains suggest that a vaccine with P6 specificity may add value. Disclosed herein is a G9P[6] strain, designated CDC-6, and its use to induce an immune response.

Example 1 Isolation and Characterization

A G9P[6] strain, designated CDC-6, was isolated from a fecal specimen collected from an infant in the United States by serial passages and plaque purification in cell culture under Good Laboratory Practice conditions. Viral genome was sequenced with Illumina, a next generation sequencing format. Illumina data was analyzed with CLC Genomic Workbench 7. RotaC v2.0 online tool was used for full genotyping. Phylogenetic trees were generated with Mega 5.1 software using neighbor-joining method (1000 bootstrap) and Kimura-2 correction.

Unlike most human rotaviruses, CDC-6 can grow to a titer of 10⁷-10⁸ ffu/ml in Vero cells and demonstrates strong stability, as evidenced by predominant (>90%) triple-layered particles during upstream production and downstream purification processes. The CDC-6 strain displays a short RNA electropherotype. Full genome analysis revealed its genotype constellation as G9-P[6]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2, with nine genes (I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2) similar to DS-1 like human rotaviruses. The CDC-6 VP4 gene is similar (99.22%) to that of the strain US1205 (G9P[6]) from USA collected in 1996. The CDC-6 VP7 gene is closely related to G9 strain KC268 (99.25%) from USA collected in 1999-2000 and strains (98.87-99.25%) from South Africa collected in 1998-1999, which cluster with circulating G9 strains in lineage III but differ from lineage I (WI61 and F45) or lineage II (116E) strains. The CDC-6 strain possessed favorable virological and molecular features and can be used as a new live oral or an inactivated rotavirus vaccine.

Example 2 Adaptation and Passaging

The virus is passaged as disclosed in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2015/0079122, incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, one milliliter (ml) of a 10% virus suspension in DMEM is supplemented with neomycin in a 1.7 ml sterile low bind tube, mixed well and then centrifuged for 10 minutes (min) at 3,000 rpm in an Eppendorf micro centrifuge. The supernatant is transferred to a new tube and centrifuged for 10 min at 10,000 rpm (8,000.times.g). The clarified supernatant is sterilized by passing through a 0.45 micron pore filter. The supernatant is tested by EIA (Rotaclone; Meridian Biosciences) and if OD value is >1.0, it is stored at 4° C. before use for infection. Stool extraction and Rotaclone testing can be done the day before infection.

The culture medium is removed from cell monolayers in individual roller tubes. Each roller tube is washed with 2 ml of maintenance medium, then 2 ml maintenance medium is added to each tube and incubated at 37° C. in a rolling apparatus until virus inoculum is ready.

An aliquot of 0.5 ml of supernatant is transferred to a sterile tube and 1 microliter of CaCl₂ stock (300 grams per liter) is added to make a final concentration of 800 micrograms per milliliter. The tube is incubated at room temperature for 30 min before adding 3 microliters of porcine trypsin stock (2.5 milligrams per milliliter)—final concentration of 15 micrograms per milliliter. The mixture is incubated for 60 min at 37° C. The same volume of MEM is treated in the same way as a mock inoculum. Separate pipette tips are used for pipetting virus suspension and trypsin solutions. All pipetting of virus is done within a biological safety cabinet.

Medium is removed from each roller tube and 0.2 to 0.3 milliliter of trypsinized virus suspension or mock inoculums is added to each roller tube using separate sterile pipette. The caps are tightened and the tubes incubated at 37° C. on a roller tube apparatus located in an incubator. After 2 hours (hrs) incubation, inoculum is removed using a 1 ml pipette and washed gently with 2 ml maintenance medium.

Two milliliters of maintenance medium containing various concentrations (10, 20 or 30 micrograms per ml depending on strain) of trypsin is added into each tube and incubated for 2 hours at 37° C. on a roller tube apparatus located in an incubator.

The cells are observed daily for cytopathic effect (CPE), harvested at day 4 and stored at −70° C. The cells are subjected to freeze-thaw two times before the next passage.

The freeze-thawed cell lysates are treated with CaCl₂ and trypsin as described above and subsequent passages are performed as above. The cells are subjected to freeze-thaw at least once and assayed for rotavirus antigen by Rotaclone kit or virus titer is determined by FFA assays.

Example 3 Production and Purification of Rotavirus Strains

Production of rotavirus is accomplished by use of large scale production roller bottles (see U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2015/0079122, incorporated herein by reference). Briefly, Vero cells are cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (Invitrogen Corp., Grand Island, N.Y.) and 50 micrograms/milliliter of neomycin (Sigma Corp., St. Louis, Mo.). Confluent monolayers of Vero cells in roller bottles are infected with a particular rotavirus strain at a multiplicity of infection of 0.1.

Rotavirus obtained by large scale production is purified according to procedures known in the art. Briefly described, rotavirus is harvested from infected cultures of Vero cells at four days post-infection. Triple-layered rotavirus particles are purified from supernatants by centrifugation through 40% sucrose cushions in TNC buffer for 2 hours at 106,750.times.g using a SW32Ti rotor and then through isopycnic centrifugations in CsCl gradients for 17 hours at 111,160 g using an SW40Ti rotor. Rotavirus particles can also be purified using sucrose gradients. TNC buffer is 10 mM Tris, pH 8.0, 140 mM NaCl, and 10 mM CaCl₂. Purified rotavirus particles are resuspended in diluent buffer which is Hanks Balanced Salt Solution with CaCl₂ and MgCl₂, obtained from Invitrogen Corp., Grand Island, N.Y., supplemented with 10% sorbitol (Sigma Corp., St. Louis, Mo.). The resuspended isolated rotavirus is stored at −70° C. until it is inactivated and administered to a subject.

Purified rotavirus is analyzed for purity and identity by any of various techniques, illustratively including SDS-PAGE followed by Coomassie blue staining, Western blot using a rotavirus-specific antibody and/or electron microscopy. In addition, purity and identity of purified rotavirus strains is accomplished by identification of particular structural viral proteins.

Example 4 Immunogenicity of Inactivated Rotavirus (IRV)

Immunogenicity of rotavirus strains is tested in a mouse model. Purified killed rotavirus particles are administered intramuscularly to mice without an adjuvant. Animals are immunized with amounts of killed rotavirus protein in the range between 2 and 20 micrograms.

Immunogenicity is assayed by measuring immunoglobulin titers including IgM, IgA and IgG in blood samples obtained at various times after administration. Neutralizing antibody titers are measured by microneutralization assay as described in detail in Jiang, B., Vaccine, 17:1005-1013, 1999, herein by reference. Briefly, mouse sera are serially diluted two-fold in duplicate wells and incubated with trypsin-inactivated RRV rotavirus. Activated rotavirus or similarly treated serum-free MEM medium is incubated in the absence of mouse serum and serve as positive and negative controls, respectively. MA104 cells in MEM medium supplemented with a final concentration of 10 micrograms/milliliter trypsin and 0.5% chick serum, obtained from Invitrogen Corp., Grand Island, N.Y., are added to each well. After incubation at 37° C. for 18 hours, cells are fixed with formalin. Rotavirus antigens in MA104 cells are detected by incubating cells with rabbit anti-RRV hyperimmune serum, HRP-labeled anti-rabbit IgG, and then tetramethyl benzidine. Neutralizing antibody titer in a serum is defined as the reciprocal of the highest dilution giving a 70% reduction in absorbance value compared to that in the virus control.

Antibody titers in mice injected with killed purified rotavirus particles are compared with antibody titers in control mice. Antibody titers in control mice are typically less than 100. Mice are vaccinated intramuscularly (i.m.) twice and rotavirus-specific total (IgA, IgG, and IgM) and neutralizing antibodies are determined by EIA. For total antibody, each serum specimen is tested at an initial dilution of 1:100. Pre-bleed serum specimens have no detectable antibody at this dilution. A value of 20 is used for determining geometric mean titers and illustration. Neutralizing antibody is tested at an initial dilution of 1:20. Antibody titers are expressed as the geometric means for each group (n=7 or 6). Error bars represent 1 standard error.

Example 5 Adjuvant

In a further example, Al(OH)₃ is added as an adjutant to rotavirus particles in a vaccine administered to mice. Animals are immunized intramuscularly once with 2 micrograms or 0.2 micrograms of killed purified rotavirus particles in the presence or absence of 600 micrograms Al(OH)₃. Al(OH)₃ dramatically enhances total antibody titers in mice at both concentrations of rotavirus administered. No antibody titers (less than 100 dilutions) are detected in control mice immunized with 600 micrograms of Al(OH)₃.

Example 6 Gnotobiotic Piglet Model

A gnotobiotic piglet model of rotavirus disease is used. This piglet model allows testing under defined conditions avoiding problems of environment exposure of animals and using disease as the outcome variable. This model also allows testing of an inactivated rotavirus vaccine having a G1 serotype against a homotypic Wa challenge. Gnotobiotic piglets are a good animal model for infection and disease with human rotavirus strains. (See Saif L J, et al., Archives of Virology, 1996; 12:S153-61; and Iosef C, et al., Vaccine, 2002; 20:1741-53, both incorporated herein by reference.) The study is designed as disclosed in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2015/0079122, incorporated herein by reference.

Thirteen infant gnotobiotic piglets are selected and randomly assigned to four groups as indicated in the table below.

Group Number of Piglets CDC-6 Antigen Aluminum hydroxide Name in Group (micrograms) (micrograms) AA 4 0 600 BB 4 5 0 CC 3 5 600 DD 2 0 (buffer) 0 (buffer)

Each group of animals is kept in separate isolators Animals in groups BB and CC are vaccinated intramuscularly three times with an inactivated rotavirus vaccine without or with an adjuvant, respectively. The vaccine formulation in this example includes 5 micrograms of killed purified CDC-6 rotavirus in diluent mixed with 600 micrograms of aluminum hydroxide. Animals in groups AA and DD are vaccinated with 600 micrograms of aluminum hydroxide and buffer, respectively, in the same manner Antigen adsorption is determined by the Bradford method which showed that more than 90% of the antigen was bound to aluminum hydroxide. Both bound and unbound antigen was injected in these immunizations.

As shown in the above table, piglets are immunized with a vaccine formulation including no antigen and 600 micrograms of aluminum hydroxide; 5 micrograms of antigen and no aluminum hydroxide; 5 micrograms of antigen and 600 micrograms of aluminum hydroxide; or no antigen and no aluminum hydroxide (e.g., buffer alone). Each vaccination is carried out by injecting 0.5 milliliters of the vaccine formulation into muscles of the hind legs of the piglets. After three doses of the vaccine formulation administered at intervals of 10-12 days, piglets are orally challenged with virulent rotavirus. Prior to virus challenge, each piglet is inoculated with 3 milliliters of sodium bicarbonate to neutralize acids in the stomach. Fecal specimens are collected from the challenged piglets daily for 10 days. Blood samples are collected throughout the experiment at intervals of 7-14 days. Piglets that are mock vaccinated with aluminum hydroxide only or diluent buffer only all shed rotavirus up to 5 days and at high titer. By contrast, piglets that are vaccinated with inactivated rotavirus without aluminum hydroxide and/or with aluminum hydroxide are protected, as evidenced by complete protection, a shortened 1-day shedding or a delayed and reduced shedding. Piglets vaccinated with antigen develop significant levels of serum IgG. The results show effectiveness of vaccine formulation.

In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of our invention may be applied, it should be recognized that illustrated embodiments are only examples of the invention and should not be considered a limitation on the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims. We therefore claim as our invention all that comes within the scope and spirit of these claims. 

We claim:
 1. An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 6. 2. An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide of claim
 1. 3. A vector comprising the isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, operably linked to a heterologous promoter.
 4. An isolated host cell transformed with the vector of claim
 3. 5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of the polypeptide of claim 1, a nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide, or a vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 6. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of an isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, a nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide, or a vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and further comprising an inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus.
 7. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 6, wherein the G1P[8] rotavirus is heat inactivated.
 8. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 6, wherein the inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus is CDC-9.
 9. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 6, further comprising an adjuvant.
 10. A method of inducing an immune response to a rotavirus protein in a subject, comprising: administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of an isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, a nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide, or a vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and an adjuvant to the subject, thereby inducing the immune response to the rotavirus protein in the subject.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein administering the effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition comprises a prime and a boost.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the subject does not have a rotavirus infection.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the subject has a rotavirus infection.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the subject is a human.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the subject is a) a child of less than 5 years of age or b) a child of less than 1 year of age.
 16. The method of claim 10, comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition parenterally to the subject.
 17. The method of claim 10, comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition intradermally to the subject.
 18. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises administering an attenuated or inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus to the subject.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the inactivated G1P[8] rotavirus is heat inactivated. 